UCSB  LIBRARY 


THE 


ILLUSTRATED 


NATURAL  HISTORY, 


REV,  J,  G,  WOOD,  M,A, 


WITH  FOUR  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  ORIGINAL  DESIGNS, 
BY    WILLIAM    HARVEY. 


NEW    YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN    SQUARE. 

1854. 


PREFACE. 


ALTHOUGH  works  on  Natural  History  would  seem  sufficiently 
numerous  to  deter  any  new  writer  from  venturing  on  the  sub- 
ject, still  there  is  at  present  no  work  of  a  popular  character  in 
which  accuracy  of  information  and  systematic  arrangement  are 
united  with  brevity  and  simplicity  of  treatment. 

All  the  best-known  popular  works  on  Natural  History  are 
liable  to  many  objections,  among  which  may  be  named  a  want 
of  correct  classification,  the  absence  of  explanations  of  the 
meanings  and  derivations  of  scientific  words,  the  strange  in- 
accuracy of  many  of  the  accompanying  illustrations,  and  of 
the  accounts  of  many  animals.  Nor  do  the  conventional  anec- 
dotes chronicled  in  their  pages  evince  the  personal  experience 
of  the  animal  race  which  is  best  calculated  to  prevent  romance 
and  inaccuracy.  These  deficiencies,  it  is  hoped,  will  be  at  all 
events  partly  supplied  in  the  present  work. 

The  present  volume,  although  exceeding  the  limits  originally 
contemplated,  is  but  a  brief  digest  of  a  large  mass  of  materials, 
derived  either  from  personal  experience,  from  the  most  recent 
zoological  writers,  or  from  the  kindness  of  many  friends,  who 
are  familiar  with  almost  every  portion  of  the  world,  and  to 
whom  my  best  thanks  are  due.  The  original  intention  was 
to  carry  the  work  as  far  as  the  Zoophytes,  but  it  grew  so 


iv  PREFACE. 

rapidly,  especially  in  the  first  two  classes,  the  Mammals  and 
Birds,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  conclude  at  the  Insects, 
and  even  then  to  give  hut  an  exceedingly  short  and  meagre 
account' of  them.  This  was  much  regretted,  as  my  experience 
had  lain  so  much  in  the  practical  entomological  part  of  Nat- 
ural History,  that  during  the  earlier  stages  of  the  work  I  looked 
forward  with  some  pleasure  to  giving  a  very  much  fuller  ac- 
count of  the  British  Insects  than  will  he  found  in  the  last  few 
of  this  volume. 

In  arrangement,  the  order  of  the  Catalogue  of  the  British 
Museum  has  heen  followed,  with  the  view  of  rendering  it  a 
useful  companion  to  that  most  valuable  collection,  especially 
for  younger  visitors.  It  has  therefore  been  considered  advis- 
able to  commence  the  volume  with  a  sketch  of  the  theories  re- 
specting the  different  races  of  humanity,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  mention  a  few  of  the  distinctions  which  so  widely  separate 
man  from  any  other  inhabitant  of  the  earth. 

As  for  the  Illustrations,  they  will  best  speak  for  themselves. 
It  will,  however,  be  well  to  observe  that  they  have  all  been  de- 
signed expressly  for  the  present  work  ;  and  the  abilities  of  the 
artist  and  engravers,  are  a  guarantee  for  their  accuracy  and 
perfect  execution.  For  the  anatomical  and  microscopical  vig- 
nettes, I  am  myself  answerable,  as  well  as  for  several  of  the 
later  drawings,  such  as  the  Thorny  Woodcock-shell,  the  Leaf 
Insect,  the  Rove  Beetle,  together  with  parts  of  a  few  others, 
all  of  which  were  drawn  from  actual  specimens. 

It  has  been  an  object  in  the  accounts  of  each  animal,  to  give 
as  far  as  possible  new  anecdotes.  In  many  cases,  the  anec- 
dotes related  have  never  been  published  before,  and  in  many 
more,  they  have  been  extracted  from  works  which,  either 
from  their  scarcity,  their  cost,  or  their  nature,  would  be  very 
unlikely  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  general  readers. 

I  dismiss  these  pages  with  almost  a  feeling  of  regret,  that  a 


PREFACE.  v 

task  which  has  to  me  been  a  labor  of  love,  should  have  come 
to  an  end.  Indeed,  the  only  drawback  experienced  during  its 
progress  was  the  necessary  brevity  of  it,  which  constrained  me 
to  omit  many  creatures,  not  only  beautiful  and  wonderful  in 
form,  but  interesting  in  habits,  and  to  describe  others  in  a  way 
so  brief,  as  to  render  the  account  little  else  than  a  formal  an- 
nouncement of  the  name,  country,  and  food,  of  the  animal. 
If,  however,  the  perusal  of  the  following  pages  should  induce 
any  one  to  look  upon  the  great  plan  of  Creation  more  as  a 
whole  than  merely  as  an  aggregation  of  separate  parts,  or  to 
notice  how  wonderfully  each  creature  is  adapted  for  its  peculiar 
station,  by  Him  who  has  appointed  to  each  its  proper  posi- 
tion, and  assigned  to  each  its  own  duties,  which  could  not 
be  performed  so  well  by  any  other  creature,  or  even  by  the 
same  animal  in  another  place,  my  end  will  be  attained.  Per- 
haps, also,  this  volume  may  cause  some  who  have  hitherto 
been  troubled  with  a  causeless  abhorrence  of  certain  creatures 
against  which  they  have  nourished  early  prejudices,  to  examine 
them  with  a  more  indulgent — I  should  perhaps  say,  a  more 
reverent  eye.  I  say  reverent,  because  it  has  long  given  me 
deep  pain  when  I  have  heard  others  stigmatizing  as  ugly, 
horrid,  frightful,  those  beings  whom  their  Maker  saw  at  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  and  declared  very  good.  A  naturalist 
will  see  as  much  beauty  in  a  toad,  spider,  or  snake,  as  in  any 
of  those  animals  which  we  are  accustomed  to  consider  models 
of  beauty ;  and  so  will  those  who  have  before  feared  or  de- 
spised them,  if  they  can  only  persuade  themselves  to  examine 
them  with  an  unprejudiced  eye  In  those  three  creatures 
mentioned  a  few  lines  above,  there  is  great  beauty  even  on  a 
superficial  examination.  The  movements  of  the  snake  are 
most  graceful,  and  the  changing  colours  of  its  varied  scales  leave 
the  imitations  of  art  far  behind.  The  spiders  too  are  beautiful, 
even  in  colour  ;  some  are  bright  crimson,  some  pale  pink,  some 


vi  PREFACE. 

entirely  yellow,  some  banded  with  broad  streaks  of  alternately 
velvety  black  and  silvery  white  ;  while  the  eye  of  the  toad  is  a 
living  gem  of  beauty.  When,  however,  we  come  to  look  closer 
— to  watch  their  habits — to  note  their  instincts — or,  by  the 
use  of  the  microscope,  to  lay  open  to  our  view  some  of  the 
details  of  their  organization — then  indeed  are  we  lost  in  wonder 
and  amaze  at  the  vastness  of  creation,  which,  even  in  one 
little,  apparently  insignificant  animal,  presents  to  our  eyes  mar- 
vels— marvels  which  increase  in  number  and  beauty  as  our 
power  for  perceiving  them  increases. 

MERTON  COLLEGE,  OXFORD, 
December  16,  1852. 


u  Sufoi. 


Division  I.   VERTEBRATA. 
Class  I.  MAMMALIA. 
Order  I.  PRIMATES. 

Family  I.  Hominidse. 

Genfus  I.  HOMO.     Sapiens,  Man. 

Fam.  II.  SimiSdae. 

TROGLODYTES.     Niger,  Chimpansee. 
SIMIA.     Satyrus,  Orang-Outan. 
HYLOBATES.     Agilis,  Agile  Gibbon. 
PRESBYTES.     Larvatus,  Kahau. 

Entellus,  Entellus. 

CYNOCEPHALUS.     Mormon,  Mandrill. 

Fam.  III.   Cebidse. 

ATELES.     Paniscus,  Coaita  Spider  Monkci/. 
MYCETES.     Urslnus,  Ursine  Howler. 
CALLITHRIX.     Torq[uatus,  Collared  Tee_  Tec. 
JACOHUS.     Vulgaris,  Marmoset. 

Fam.  IV.  Lemuridse. 

LEMUR.     Macaco,  Ruffled  Lemur. 
LORIS.     Gracilis,  Slender  Loris. 

Fam.  V.  Vespertilionidse. 
Sub-Fam.  a.  Phyllostomlna. 

VAMPIRUS.     Spectrum,  Vampire. 
Sub-fam.  c.   Vesper tilionlna. 

PLECOTUS.     Aurltus,  Long-eared  Bat. 

Order  II.  FER^E. 

Fam.  I.  Felidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Fellna. 
LEO.     Barbarus,  Lion. 
TIGRIS.     Regalis,  Tiger. 
LEOPARDUS.     Varius,  Leopard. 

Uncia,  Ounce. 

Onca, 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

LEOPARDUS.     Concolor,  Puma. 

Pardalis,  Ocelot. 

FELIS.     Domestica,  Cat. 

CARACAL.     Melanotis,  Caracal. 

LTNCUS.     Canadensis,  Canada  Lynx. 

GUEPARDA.     Jubata,  Chetah. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Hycenlna. 

HYAENA.     Striata,  Striped  Hyaena. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Viverrlna. 

VIVERRA.     Civetta,  Civet  Cat. 

GENETTA.     Vulgaris,  Genet. 

HERPESTES,     Ichneumon,  Egyptian  Ichneumon. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Canina. 

CANIS.     Familiaris,  Dog. 

Lupus,  Wolf. 

Aureus.  Jackal. 

VULPES.     Vulgaris,  Fox. 

Sub-fam.  e.  Mustellna. 

MARTES.     Abietum,  Pine  Marten. 

Zibelllna,  Sable. 

PUTORIUS.     Foetidus,  Polecat. 
MUSTELA.     Erminga,  Stoat. 

Vulgaris,  Weasel. 

MELLIVORA.     Ratel,  Honey  Ratel. 
GULO.     Luscus,  Glutton. 
MELES.     Vulgaris,  Badger. 
LUTRA.     Vulgaris,  Otter. 

Fam.  II.  Ursidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Ursina. 
UBSUS.     Arctos,  Bear. 

Horribflis,  Grizzly  Bear. 

THALARCTOS.     Maritimus,  Polar  Bear. 

Sub-fam.  c.  Procyonlna. 

PROCYON.     Lotor,  Racoon. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Cercoleptlna. 

NASUA.     Fusca,  Coati-mondi. 

CERCOLEPTES.     Caudivolvulus,  Kinkajou, 
Fam.  III.  Talpida. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Talplna. 

TALPA.     Europsea,  Mole. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Erinaclna. 

SOREX.     Araneus,  Shrew. 

Fodiens,  Water  Shrew. 

ERINACKUS.     Europaeus,  Hedgehog. 

Fam.  IV.  Macropidffi. 
Sub-fam.  6.  Macroplna. 

MACROPUS.     Major,  Kangaroo. 
Sub-fam.  e.  Didelphlna. 

DIDELPHYS.     Virgiuiana,  Opossum. 


SYSTEMATIC    INDEX. 

Fam.  V.  Phocida?. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Phoclna. 

PHOCA.     Vitullna,  Seal. 

MORUNGA.     Proboscidga,  Elephant  Seal. 
Sub-fam.  c.   Tricheclna. 

TRICHECUS.     Rosmarus,  Walrus. 

Order  III.  CETR 

Fam.  I.  Balajnidffi. 

BAL^ENA.     Mysticetus,  Whale. 
PHYSETER.     Macrocephalus,  Cachalot. 

Fam.  II.  DelphinidaB. 

DELPHINUS.     Delphis,  Dolphin. 
PHOC.SNA.     Communis,  Porpoise. 
MONODON.     Monoceros,  Narwhal. 

Order  IV.  GLIRES. 
Fam.  I.  Muridse. 

Sub-fam.  a.  Murlna. 
Mus.     Decumanus,  Rat. 

Musculus,  Mouse. 

Sub-fam.  b.  Arvicollna. 

CRICETUS.     Frumentarius,  Hamster. 
ARVICOLA.     Amphibms,  Water  Rat. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Castonna. 
CASTOR.     Fiber,  Beaver. 

Fam.  II.  Hystricida;. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Hystriclna. 

HYSTRIX.     Cristata,  Porcupine. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Dasyproctina. 

DASYPROCTA.     Aguti,  Agouti. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Hydrochcerma. 

HYDROCH^ERUS.     Capybara,  Capybara. 

Fam.  III.  Leporidffi. 

LEPUS.     Timidus,  Hare. 

Cuniciilus,  Rabbit. 

Fam.  IV.  Jerboidaj. 

Sub-fam.  a.  Chinchillina. 

CniNcmtLA.     Laniger,  Chinchilla. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Diplna. 

DIPUS.     ^Egyptius,  Jerboa. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Myoxlna. 

MYOXUS.     Avellanarius,  Dormouse. 
Sub-fam.  e.  Sciunna. 

SCIURUS.     Europseus,  Squirrel. 

PTEROMYS.     Alpinus,  Fly  ing -Squirrel. 

ARCTOMYS.     Marmotta,  Marmot. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Order  V.   UNGULATA. 
Fam.  I.  Bovidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Bovlna. 
Bos.     Taurus,  Bull. 

Zebu. 

BUBALUS.     Buffelus,  Buffalo. 

Caffer,  Cape  Buffalo. 

BISON.     Americanus,  Bison. 
POEPHAGUS.     Grunmens,  Yak. 
OVIBOS.     Moschatus,  Musk  Ox. 
CATOBLEPAS.     Gnu,  Gnoo. 
PORTAX.     Picta,  Nylghau. 
STREPSICEROS.     Kudu,  Koodoo. 
BOSELAPHUS.     Oreas,  Eland. 
ORYX.     Leucoryx,  Oryx. 
GAZELLA.     Euchore,  Springbok. 

Ariel,  Gazelle. 

RUPICAPRA.     Tragus,  Chamois. 
CAPRA.     Ibex,  Ibex. 

Hircus,  Goat. 

Ovis.     Aries,  Ram. 

Sub-fam.  6.   Camelopardina. 

CAMELOPARDALIS.     GirafFa,  Giraffe. 
Sub-fam.  c.  CameRna. 

CAMELUS.     Arabicus,  Camel. 

Bactrianus,  Bactrian  Camel. 

LLAMA.     Pacos,  Llama. 

Sub-fam.  d.  Moschlna. 

MOSCHUS.     Moschiferus,  Musk-deer. 
Sub-fam.  e.   Cervlna. 

CERVUS.     Capreolus,  Roebuck. 

Elaphus,  Stag. 

Canadensis,  Wapiti. 

Axis.     Maculata,  Axis. 
DAMA.     Vulgaris,  Fallow-deer. 
RANGIFER.     Tarandus,  Rein-deer. 
ALCES.     Palmatus,  Elk. 

Fam.  II.  Equidse. 

EQUUS.     Caballus,  Horse. 
ASINUS.     Vulgaris,  Ass. 

Dzigguetai,  Dzigguctai. 

Zebra,  Zebra. 

Quagga,  Quagga. 

Fam.  III.  Elephantldse. 

Sub-Fam,  a.  Elephantlna. 

ELEPHAS.     Indlcus,  Indian  Elephant. 

Africanus,  Afri"an  Elephant. 

Sub-fam.  b.  Tapirlna. 

TAPIRUS.     Terrestris,  Tapir. 


SYSTEMATIC    INDEX. 

Sub  fam.  c.  Snlna. 
Sus.     Scrofa,  Boar. 

Babyroussa,  Babyroussa. 

Sub-fam.  d.  Rhinocerlna. 

RHINOCEROS.     Unicornis,  Rhinoceros. 

Bicornis,  Rhlnaster. 

Sub-fam.  c.  Hippopotamlna. 

HIPPOPOTAMUS.     Amphibius,  Hippopotamus. 

Fam.  IV.  Bradypida;. 

BRADVPUS.     Tridactylus,  Sloth. 

Fam.  V.  Dasypidae. 
Sub-fam.  a.   Martina. 

MANIS.     Tetradactyla,  Pkatagin. 

Pentadactyla,  Short-tailed  Manis. 

Sub-fam.  b.  Dasyplna. 

PASYPUS.     Sexcinctus,  Armadillo. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Myrmecophaglna. 

MYRMECOPHAGA.     Jubata,  Ant-eater. 

Didactyla,  Little  Ant-eater. 

Sub-fam.  d.   Ornithorhynchlna. 
ORNITHORHYNCHUS.     Paradoxus,  Ornithorhynchus. 

Class  II.  AVES. 

Order  I.  AGCIP1TRES. 
Sub-order  I.  ACCIPITRES-DIURNI. 
Fam.  I.  Gypaettdse. 

GYPAETUS.     Barbatus,  Lammergeyer. 
Fam.  II.  Sarcorhamphidse. 

SARCORHAMPHOS.     Gryphon,  Condor. 

Papa,  King  Vulture. 

Fam.  III.  Vulturidfe. 
Sub-fam.  a.    Vulturlnce. 

GYPS.     Fulvus,  Griffin  Vulture. 

Fam.  IV.  Falcomdfe. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Aquillnce. 

AQUILA.     Chrysiietos,  Gotdtn  Eagle. 

PANDION.     Haliiietus,  Osprey 

HALIAETUS.     Leucocephalus,  Wldte-lieaded  Eagle. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Buteonlnce. 

BUTEO.     Vulgaris,  Buzzard. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Milvlnce. 

PERNIS.     Apivorus,  Honey- Buzzard, 

MILVUS.     Regalis,  Kite. 

ELANOIDES.     Furcatus,  Swallow-tailed  Falcon. 
Sub-fam.  e.  Falconlnce. 

FALCO.     Gyrfalco,  Gyrfalcon. 


xil  SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

FALCO.     Peregrlnus,  Peregrine  Falcon. 

HYFOTRIORCUIS.     Subbuteo,  Hobby. 

Jisalon,  Merlin. 

TINXUNCULUS.     Alaudarius,  Kestrel. 
Sub-fam.  /.  Acdpitrlnce. 

ASTUR.     Palumbanus,  Goshawk. 

ACCIPITER.     Nisus,  Sparrow-Hawk. 
Sub-fam.  g.   Circince. 

SERPENTARIUS.     Reptilivorus,  Secretary  Bird. 

CIRCUS.     Cyaneus,  Hen-Harrier. 
Sub-order  II.  ACCIPITRES-NOCTVRXI. 
Fam.  I.  Strigidae. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Surnlnce. 

SURNIA.     Uliila,  Hawk-Owl. 

NYCTEA.     Kivga,  Snowy  Owl. 

ATHENE.     Cunicularia,  Burroicing  Owl. 
Sub-fam.  6.    Bubonlnce. 

EPHIALTES.     Scops,  Scops  Eared-owl. 

BUBO.     Maximus,  Great  Eared-owl. 
Sub-fam.  d.    Strigince. 

STRIX.    Flammea,  Barn-Owl. 

Order  II.  PASSERES. 

Tribe  I.  FISSIROSTRES. 

Sub-Tribe  I.  FISSIROSTRES-NOCTURN/B. 
Fam.  I.  Caprimulgidse. 

Sub-fam.  a.    Caprimulgince. 

CAPRIMULGUS.     Europseus,  Goat-siicker. 
Sub-Tribe  II.  FISSIROSTRES-DIURN.E. 
Fam.  II.     Hirundinidse. 
Sub  fam.  a,   Cypsetince. 

CYPSELUS.     Apus,  Swift. 
Sub-fam.  6.   Hirundinmce. 

HIRUNDO.     Rustica,  Chimney  Martin. 
COTILE.     Riparia,  Sand  Martin. 
CHELIDON.     Urbica,  Martin. 
Fam.  III.  Coracildffi. 
Sub-fam.  a.   Coracimai. 

CoRAciiAS.     Garriila,  Roller. 
Fam.  IV.  Trogonidse. 

TROGON.     Resplendens,  Resplendent  Trogon. 
Fam.  V.  Alcedinidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Alcedinmce. 

ALCEDO.     Hispida,  King-fisher. 
Fam.  VI.     Meropidte. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Meroplnce. 

MEROPS.     Apiaster,  Bee-eater. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX.  xiii 

Tribe  IL  TENUIROSTRES. 

Fam.  I.   Upupidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.    Upupince. 
UptfpA.     Epops,  Hoopoe. 

Fam.  II.  Trochilldse. 

TROCHILUS.      Colubris,  Ruby-throated  Humming-bird. 
ORNISMYA.     Gouldii,  Goulds  Humming-bird. 
Sappho,  Bar-tailed  Humming-bird. 

Cora,  Cora  Humming-bird. 

Chrysolopha,  Double-crested  Humming-bird. 

Fam.  III.  Certhidte. 
Sub-fam.  a.    Certhince. 

CERTHIA.     Familiaris,  Creeper. 
Sub-fam.  6.  Sittlnce. 

SITI-A.     Europsea,  Nuthatch. 
Sub-fam.  c.   Afenurince. 

TROGLODYTES.     Parvulus,  Wren. 

Tribe  IIL  DENTIROSTRES. 
Fam.  I.  Luscinidae. 
Sub-fam.  a.   Luscinince. 

CALAMODYTA.     Locustella,  Grasshopper  Warbler. 
LUSCINIA.     Philomela,  Nightingale. 
SYLVIA.     TJndata,  Dartford  Warbler. 

Cinerea,    Whitethroat. 

Atricapilla,  Blackcap  Warbler. 

Rufa,  Chiff-chaff. 

REGULUS.     Cri  status,  Golden-crested  Wren. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Erythaclnce. 

RUTICILLA.     Phoenicura,  Redstart. 

ERYTHACUS.     Rubeciila,  Redbreast. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Accentorince. 

ACCENTOR.     Modularius,  Hedge  Accentor. 
Sub-fam.  d.   Parlnce. 

PARUS.     Major,  Great  Titmouse. 

Coeruleus,  Blue  Titmouse. 

Caudatus,  Long-tailed  Titmouse. 

Sub-fam.  e.  Motacilllnce. 

MOTACILLA.     Yarrellli,  Pied  Wagtail. 

Flava,  Yellow  Wagtail. 

ANTHUS.     Pratensis,  Meadow  Pipit. 

Fam.  II.  Turdidse. 

Sub-fam.  a.  Formicarince. 

HYDROBATA.     Cinclus,  Dipper. 
Sub-fam.  6.  Turdlnce. 

TURDUS.     Viseivorus,  Misseltoe  Thrush. 

Pilaris,  Fieldfare. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

TURDUS.     Musicus,  Sony-Thrush. 
--     Meriila,  Blackbird. 
ORPHEUS.     Polyglottus,  Mocking  Bird, 
Sub-fam.  c.   Oriollnce. 
ORIOLUS.     Galbula. 
Fam.  III.  Muscicapidfe. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Muscicaplnce. 

MUSCICAFA.     Grisola,  Spotted  Fly-catcher. 
Fam.  IV.  Ampelidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Ampellnce. 

AMPELIS.     Garrulus,  Bohemian  Wax-win  g. 

Fam.  V.  Lamdse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Lanlnce. 

LANIUS.     Excubitor,  Great  Gray  Shrike. 
__     Collurio,  Red-backed  Shrike. 


Tribe  IV.  CONIROSTRES. 

Fam.  I.  Corvidse. 

Sub-fam.  a.   Garrullnce. 

GARRULUS.     Glandaiius,  Jay. 
Sub-fam.  b.   Corvince. 

NUCIFRAGA.     Caryocatactes,  Nutcracker. 

PICA.     Caudata,  Magpie. 

CORVUS.     Corax,  Raven. 

--    Frugilegus,  Rook. 

-  Monedula,  Jackdaw. 

-  Corone,  Crow. 
Sub-fam.  c.  PyrrhocoraclncE, 

CORACIA.     Gracula,  Chough. 

Fam.  II.  Paradiseidse. 

PARADISEA.     Apoda,  Emerald  Bird  of  Paradise. 

Fam.  III.  Sturmdse. 

Sub-fam.  a.  Ptilonorhynclnce. 

PTILONORHYNCUS.     Sericeus,  Satin  Bower-Bird. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Icterlnce. 

ICTERUS.     Baltimorus,  Baltimore  Oriole. 
Sub-fam.  g.  SturnincB. 

STURNUS.     Vulgaris,  Starling. 

Fam.  IV.  Fringillldse. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Fringilllnai. 

FRINGILLA.     Coelebs,  Chaffinch.. 

-  Carduelis,  Goldfinch. 

-  Cannabina,  Linnet. 

-  Spinus,  Siskin. 

-  Chloris,  Greenfinch. 
PASSER.     Domesticus,  House  Sparrow. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Sub-fam.  e.  Emberizina;. 

EMBERIZA.     Citrinella,  Yellow  Bunting. 
Sub-fam./.  Alaudlna. 

ALAUDA.     Arvensis,  Skylark. 
Sub-fam.  g.  Pyrrhullnce. 

PYRRHULA.     Rubicilla,  Bullfinch. 
Sub-fara.  h.  LoxlncB. 

LOXIA.     Curvirostra,  Crossbill. 
Fam.  VII.  Bucerotidfe. 

BUCEROS.     Rhinoceros,  Rhinoceros  Hornbill. 

Order  III.  SCANSORES. 
Fam.  I.  Rhamphastldse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Rhamphastince. 

RHAMPHASTOS.     Toco,  Toco  Toucan. 
Fam.  II.  Psittacidfc. 

MACROCERCUS.     Ararauna,  Blue  and  Yellow  Macaw. 
PAL^ORNIS.     Torquatus,  Ringed  Parrakect. 
CACATUA.     Sulphurga,  Great  Sulphur  Cockatoo. 
Fam.  III.  PicidsB. 
Sub-fam.  t'.  Picince. 

Picus.     Major,  Great  Spotted  Woodpecker. 

Viridis,  Green  Woodpecker. 

Sub-fam.  g.   Yuncmce. 

YUNX.     Torquilla,  Wryneck. 
Fam.  IV.  Cuculida;. 
Sub  fam.  e.   Cuculinai. 

CUCULUS.     Canorus,  Cuckoo. 

Order  IV.   COLUMB^E. 
Fam.  I.  Colunibidffi. 
Sub-fam.  b.   Columblnce. 

COLUMBA.     Palurabus,  Ringdove. 

(Enas,  Stockdove. 

TURTUR.     Auntus,  Turtle-dove. 

FJCTOPISTES.     Migratoria,  Passenger  Pigeon. 

Order  V.   GALLING. 
Fam.  III.  Phasianidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Pavonlnce. 

PATO.     Cristatus,  Peacock. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Phasianince. 

ARGUS.     Giganteus,  Argus  Pheasant. 
PHASIANUS.     Colchicus,  Pheasant. 
Sub-fam.  c.    Galtina. 

GALLUS.     Domestlcus,  Domestic  Fowl. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Meleagrlnce. 

MELEAGRIS.     Gallopavo,  Turkey. 
NUMIDA.     Meleagris,  Guinea  Fowl. 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX. 

Fam.  IV.  Tetraonulse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Perdicince. 

PEEDIX.     Cinerea,  Partridge. 

COTURNIX.     Communis,  Quail. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Tetraoriln.ee. 

TETRAO.     Urogallus,  Capercaillie. 

-     Tetrix,  Black  Grouse. 

LAGOPUS.     Scoticus,  Red  Cfrouse. 

--      Albus,  Ptarmigan. 
Fam.  V.  Megapodidse. 

TALEGALLUS.     Lalhami,  Brush  Turkey. 

MEGAPODIUS.     Tumulus,  Mound-making  Megapode. 

Order  VI.  STRUTHIONES. 
Fam.  I.  Struthionidae. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Struthionmce. 

STRUTHIO.     Camelus,  Ostrich. 

CASUARIUS.     Casoar,  Cassowary. 

DROMAIUS.     Novse-Hollandiae,  Emu. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Apteryglnae. 

APTERYX.     Australis,  Apteryx. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Didince. 

DIDUS.     Ineptus,  Dodo. 
Sub-fam.  d.    Otince. 

OTUS.     Tarda,  Bustard. 


Order  VII. 

Fam.  I.  Charadridse. 
Sub-fam.  c.   Charadrince. 

VANELLUS.     Cristatus,  Lapwing. 
Fam.  II.  Ardeidse. 
Sub-fam.  b.   Grulnas. 

GRUS.     Cinerea,  Crane. 
Sub-fam.  c.   Ardelnce. 

ARDEA.     Cinerea,  Heron. 

BOTAURUS.     Stellaris,  Bittern. 

PLATALEA.     Leucorodia,  White  Spoonbill. 
Sub-fam.  d.    Ciconlnce. 

CICONIA.     Albo,  Stork. 
Sub-fam./.    Tantallnce. 

IBIS.     Religiosa,  Sacred  Ibis. 
Fam.  III.  Scolopacidse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Limosince. 

CRACTICORNIS.     Arquatus,  Curlew. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Recurvirostrlnce. 
.     RECURVIROSTRA.     Avocetta,  Avocet. 
Sub-fam.  d,  Scolopadnce. 

SCOLOPAX.     Rusticola,  Woodcock. 

NUMENIUS.     Scolopaclnus,  Snipe. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX.  xvii 

Sub-fam.  e.  Tringlnce. 

PHILOMACHUS.     Pugnax,  JRujf'. 
Tarn.  IV.  Palamedeida?. 
Sub-fam.  a.  farrlnce. 

PARRA.     Jacana,  Jacana. 
Fam.  V.  Rallidffi. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Ralllnce. 

ORYGOMETRA.     Crex,  Corncrake. 
Sub-fam.  b.    Gallinullnce. 

GALLINULA.     Chloropus,  Water  Hen. 

FULICA.     Atra,  Coot. 

Order  VIII.  ANSERES. 
Fam.  I.  Anatidse. 

Sub-fam.  a.  Phcenicopterince. 

PH<ENICOPTEROS.     Rubra,  Flamingo. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Anserince. 

BERNICLA.     Leucopsis,  Bernicle  Goose. 
Sub-fam.  d.  Gygnlnce. 

CYGNUS.     Olor,  Mute  Swan. 

CHENOPIS.     Atrata,  Black  Swan. 
Sub-fam.  e.  Anatince. 

ANAS.     Boschas,  Mallard. 

QUERQUED^JLA.     Crecca,  Teal. 
Sub-fam./.  Fuligullna>. 

SOMATERIA.     Mollissima,  Eider  Duck. 
Fam.  II.  Colymbidffi. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Podicepinoe. 

PODICEPS.     Cristatus,  Crested  Grebe. 

Minor,  Dabchick. 

Fam.  III.  Alcidaj. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Alcince. 

FRATERCitLA.     Arctica,  Puffin. 

ALCA.     Impennis,  Great  Auk. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Sphenisclnce. 

SPHENISCUS.     Demersus,  Cape  Penguin. 
Sub-fam.  d.    Urince. 

URIA.     Troile,  Guillemot. 
Fam.  IV.  Procellaridse. 
Sub-fam.  a.  Procellarlnce. 

PROCELLARIA.     Glacialis,  Fulmar  Petrel. 

THALASSIDROMA.     Pelagica,  Stormy  Petrel. 

DIOMEDEA.     Exulans,  Albatros. 
Fam.  V.  Laridffi. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Larmce. 

LARUS.     Marinus,  Black-backed  Gull. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Sternin<e. 

STERNA.     Hirundo,  Tern. 


mi  SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Fam.  VI.  Pelecamdse. 
Sub-fam.  b.  Phaetonlnce. 

PHAETON.     ^Ethereus,  Tropic  Bird. 
Sub-fam.  c.  Pelecanlnae. 

SULA.     Bassanea,  Gannet. 

PHALACROCORAX.     Carbo,  Cormorant. 

PELECANUS.     Onocrotalus,  White  Pelican. 

FREGATA.     Aquila,  Frigate  Pelican. 

Class  III.   REPTIUA.   " 
Order  I.   SAURA. 
Sub-order  I.  LEPTOGLOSS^E. 
Tribe  I.  CYCLOSAURA. 
Fam.  IV.  Lacertinidaj. 

ZOOTOCA.     Vivipara,  Lizard. 

>        Tribe  II.  GEISSOSAURA. 
Fam.  XV.  Scincidse. 

ANGUIS.     Fragilis,  Blindworm. 
Sub-order  II.  PACHTGLOSS^E. 
Tribe  III.  NYCTISAURA. 
Fam.  XXII.  Geckotid^. 
GECKO.     Verus,  Gecko. 

Tribe  IV.  STROBILOSAURA. 
Fam.  XXIII.  Iguanidse. 

IGUANA.     Tuberculata,  Iguana. 
Fam.  XXIV.  AgamidsB. 

DRACO.     Volans,  flying  Dragon. 

Tribe  V.  DEM)ROSAURA. 
Fam.  XXV.  Chameleonldje. 

CHAMELEON.     Vulgaris,  Chameleon. 

Order  II.   OPHIDIA. 
Sub-order  L  VEPERINA. 
Fam.  I.  Crotalida;. 

UROPSOPHUS.     Durissus,  Rattle-snake. 
Fam.  II.  Viperidse. 

CLOTHO.     Arigtans,  Puff  Adder. 
CERASTES.     Hasselquistii,  Cerastes. 
PELIAS.     Berus,  Viper. 

Sub-order  II.  COLUBRINA. 
Fam.  IV.  Bold®. 

BOA.     Constrictor,  Boa. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Fam.  V.  Colubridfe. 

NAJA.     Tripudians,  Cobra. 
NATRIX.     Torquata,  Ringed  Snake. 

Order  III.   CHELONIA. 

Fam.  I.  Testudinidse. 

TESTUDO.     Grseca,  Tortoise. 
Fam.  V.  Cheloniadse. 

CHELONIA.     Viridis,  Turtle. 

Order  IV.  EMYD  OS  A  URL 

Fam.  I.  Crocodilidse. 

CROCODILUS.     Vulgaris,  Crocodile. 

Fam.  II.  Alligatoridfe. 

ALLIGATOR.     Mississipensis,  Alligator. 

Class  IV.   AMPHIBt/V 

Order  I.  BATRACHIA. 

Sub-order  I.  SALIENTIA. 

RANA.     Temporarfa,  Frog. 
BUFO.     Vulgaris,  Toad. 

Sub-order  II.  GRADIENTIA. 
Fam.  I.  Salamandridae. 

TRITON.     Cristatus,  Newt. 

Order  V.  MEANT1A. 

Fam.  I.  Proteidae. 

PROTEUS.     Angulnus,  Proteus. 

Class  V.  PISCES. 
Sub-class  I.  PISCES  OSSKI. 

Order!  ACANTHOPTERYG11. 
Sub-order  I,  DACTYLOPHORI. 
Fam.  I.  Triglidse. 

TRIGLA.     Cuculus,  Gurnard. 

Sub-order  II.     HOLODACTYLI. 
Fam.  IV.  Percidse. 

PERCA.     Fluviatilis,  Perch. 

Fam.  Xm.  Scomberidse. 

SCOMBER.     Scombrus,  Mackarel. 
TIITNNUS.     Thynnus,  Tunny. 
XIPHIAS.     Gladlus,  Swrd-fish. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Fam.  XIV.  Zeidas. 

ZEUS.     Faber,  John  Dory. 
Fam.  XVII.  Syngnathldse. 

HIPPOCAMPUS.     Brevirostris,  Sea-horse. 
Fam.  XXII.  Echeneidse. 

ECHENEIS.     Remora,  Sucking-fish. 
Fam.  XXIII.  Lophiidaj. 

LOPHIUS.     Piscatorius,  Angler. 

Order  II.  MALACOPTERYGIL 
Sub-order  I.  ARDOMINALIA. 

Fam.  I.  Cyprinidse. 

CYPRINUS.     Carpio,  Carp, 

Barbus,  Barbel. 

Auratus,  Gold-fisk 

ABRAMIS.     Brama,  Bream. 
GOBIO.     FluviatHis,  Gudgeon. 
TINCA.     Vulgaris,  Tench. 
LEUCISCUS.     Rutflus,  Roach. 
Leuciscus,  Dace. 

Cephalus,  Chub. 

Fam.  II.  Esocida3. 

Esox.     Lucius,  Pike. 

EXOCCKTUS.     Volitans,  Fly  ing -fish. 
Fam.  IV.  Salmonidae. 

SALMO.     Salar,  Salmon. 

Fario,  Trout. 

Fam.  V.  Clupeidae. 

CUJPEA.     Pilchardus,  Pilchard. 

Harengus,  Herring. 

ENGEAULIS.     Encrasicholus,  Anchovy. 

Sub-order  II.  SDB-BRACIIIATA. 

Fam.  VI.  Gadidse. 

MORRHUA.     Callarias,  Cod, 
Fam.  VII.  Pleuronectida. 

PSETTA.     Maxima,  Turbot. 

SOLEA.     Vulgaris,  Sole. 

Sub-order  III.  APODA. 

Fam.  IX.  Muraenidae. 

ANGUILLA.     Acutirostris,  Sharp-nosed  Ed. 

CONGER.     Vulgaris,  Conger. 
Fam.  X.  Gymnotidfc. 

GYMNOTCB,     Electncus,  Electric  Eel. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Order  III.  PLECTOGNATHI. 

Fam.  I.  Diodontidse. 

ORTHAGORISCUS.     Mola,  Short  Sun-fish. 
Sub-class  II.  PISCES  CUONDROPTERYGII. 
Sub-order  I.  ELEUTHEROPOMI. 
Fam.  I.  Acipenseridse. 

ACIPENSER.     Sturio,  Sturgeon. 

Sub-order  II.  TREMATOPNEI. 
Sub-section  L  SQUALL 
Fam.  L  Scyllidse. 

SCYLLIUM.     Caniciila,  Little  Spotted  Dog-fish. 
Fam.  II.  Squalidse. 

SQUALUS.     Carcharias,  White  Shark. 
SPIIYRNIAS.     Zygsena,  Hammer- headed  Shark. 

Sub-section  H.  RAIL 
Fam.  I.  Pristidsc. 

PRISTIS.     Antiquorum,  Sawfish. 
Fam.  II.  Raidaj. 

TORPEDO.     Scutata,  Torpedo. 

RAIA.     Clavata,  Thornback  Skate. 

Sub-order  III.  CYCLOSTOMI. 
Fam.  I.  Petromyzomdse. 

PETROMYZON.  Mariniis,  Lamprey. 
LAMPETRA.  Fluviatilis,  Lampern. 
MYXINE.  Glutinosa,  Myxine. 

Division  II.    INVERTEBRATA. 
Class  VI.  MOLLUSCA. 
Order  CEPHALOPODA. 
Fam.  Octopidse. 

OCTOPUS.     Vulgaris,  Cuttle-fixh. 
ARGONAUTA.     Argo,  Nautilu*. 

Order  GASTEROPODA. 
Sub-order  PULMOBRANCHIATA. 
Fam.  Limacidse. 

LIMAX.     Ater,  Black  Slug. 

Fam.  Helicidse. 

HELIX.     Aspersa,  Snail. 

Fam.  Turbinidffi. 

SCALARIA.     Pretiosa,  Royal  Staircase  Wentletrap. 


SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Fam.  Coniidae. 

CONUS.     Generalis.  Cone. 
Fam.  Cyprseidse. 

ARICIA.     Moneta,  Money  Cowry. 
Fam.  Buccinidaj. 

BuccLvoM.     Undatum,  Whelk. 
Fam.  Muricidse. 

MUREX.     Tribiilus,  Tlwrny  Woodcock. 

Order  CYCLOBRANCHIATA. 

Fam.  Patellidse. 

PATELLA.     Vulgata,  Limpet. 

Order  CONCHIFERA. 

Fam.  Pectinldse. 

PECTEN.     Jacobseus,  Scallop. 

OSTREA.     Edulis,  Oyster. 
Fam.  Meleagrinidse. 

MELEAGRINA.     Margaratifera,  Pearl  Oyster. 
Fam.  Mytilidse. 

MYTILUS.     Edulis,  Edible  Mussel. 

Order  CIRRHOPODA. 

PENTALASMIS.     Anatifera,  Bernicle. 


Class  VII.    CRUSTACEA. 
Sub-class  I.  MALACOSTRACA. 
Order  I.  DECAPOD  A. 

Sub-order  I.  DECAPODA-BRACHYURA. 
Fam.  I.  Canceridse. 

CANCER.     Pagurus,  Crab. 

Sub-order  II.  DECAPODA-ANOMOURA. 
Fam.  III.  Paguridse. 

PAGUUUS.     Bernhardus,  Hermit  Crab. 

Sub-order  III.     DECAPODA-MACROURA. 
Fam.  V.  Astacidte. 

POTAMOBIUS.     Astacus,  Cray-fish. 

ASTACUS.     Gammarus,  Lobster. 
Fam.  VI.  Crangomdse. 

CRANGON.     Vulgaris,  Shrimp. 
Fam.  VIII.  Palffimonidse. 

PAL^MON.     Serratus,  Prawn. 


SYSTEMATIC    INDEX. 

Class  VIII.  ARACHNTDA. 

Order  PULMONARIA. 
Fam.  Araneidae. 

MYGALE.     Avicularla,  Bird  Spider. 
Fam.  Seorpionidse. 

SCORPIO.     Europseus,  Scorpion. 

Class  IX.  INSECTA. 

Sub-class  I.  IXSKCTA  MANDIBULATA. 
Order!   COLEOPTERA. 
Fam.  Cicindelidro. 

CICINDELA.     Campestris,  Tiger-beetle. 
Fam.  Carabidae. 

CARABUS.     Cancellatus,  Ground-beetle. 
Fam.  Silphidse. 

NECROPHAGUS.     Vespillo,  Biirying-beetle. 
Fam.  Lucanidse. 

LUCANUS.     Cervus,  Stag-beetle. 

GEOTRUPES.     Stercorarius,  Dor-beetle. 

MELOLOXTHA.     Vulgaris,  Cockchaffer. 
Fam.  Lampyridae. 

LAMPYRIS.     Noctiluea,  Glowworm. 
Fam.  Ptinidse. 

ANOBIUM.     Tesselatum,  Death-watch. 
Fam.  Cerambycidffl. 

CERAMBYX.     Hoschatus,  Musk-beetle. 
Fam.  Staphjlinidse. 

CREOPIIILUS.     Maxillosus,  Rove-beetle. 

Order  II.  DERMAPTERA. 

FORFICULA.     Aurieularia,  Earwig. 

Order  III.   ORTHOPTERA. 
Fam.  Locustidse. 

LOCUSTA.     Tartanca,  Locust. 
Fam.  Achetidse. 

GRYLLOTALPA.     Vulgaris,  Mole  Cricket. 

PHYLLIA.     Foliata,  Leaf  Insect. 

Order  IV.  NEUROPTERA. 
Fam.  Libellulldfe. 

LIBELLULA.     Depressa,  Dragon-fly. 
Fam.  Myrmeleonidos. 

MYRMELEON.     Formicarum,  Ant-lion. 


xiv  SYSTEMATIC   INDEX. 

Order  V.  TRICHOPTERA. 
Fam.  Phryganidae.  . 

PURYGANEA.     Grandis,  Caddis-fly. 

Order  VI.  HYMENOPTERA. 
Fam.  Ichneumomdse. 

PIMPLA.     Manifestator,  Ichneumon-fly. 
Fam.  Formicidse. 

FORMICA.     Rufa,  Wood  Ant. 
Fam.  Vespidae. 

VESPA.     Crabro,  Hornet. 

Vulgaris,  Wasp. 

Fam.  Apidse. 

APIS.     Mellif  ica,  Honey  Bee. 

Sub-class  II.  INSECTA  HAUSTELLATA. 
Order!.  LEPIDOPTERA. 
Fain.  Papilionida3. 

PAPILIO.     Machaon,  Swallow-tailed  Butterfly. 

ARGYNNIS.     Adippe,  Silver-spotted  Fritillary. 

VANESSA.     Atalanta,  Red  Admiral. 
Fam.  Spliingidae. 

ACHEKONTIA.     Atropos,  DeatKs-head  Moth. 
Fam.  Arctiadse. 

ARCTIA.     Caja,  Tiger  Moth. 
Fam.  Geometridse. 

OURAPTERYX.     Sambucana,  Swallow-tailed  Moth. 
Fam.  Alucitidse. 

ALUCITA.     Hexadactyla,  Many-plumed  Moth. 

Order  II.  DIPTERA. 
Fam.  Culicidse. 

CULEX.     Pipiens,  Gnat. 
Fam.  (Estridffi. 

CEsxRus.     Bovis,  Gad-fly. 

Order  IV.  APHANIPTERA. 
Fam.  Pulicidffi. 

PULEX.     Irritans,  Flea. 


NATURAL   HISTORY, 


Division  I VERTEBRATA. — (Lat.  possessing  vertSbrce.) 

Class  L MAMMALIA.— (Lat.  suckling  their  young.) 

Order  I PRIMATES.—(L&t.  primus,  first.) 

Family  I Homiiudaj. — (Lat.  homo,  a  man— mankind.) 

Genus  I HOMO. 


BOSJESMAN  AND  LION. 

Species  I.     Sapiens  (Lat.  wise),  Man. 


MAN  holds  the  foremost  place  in  the  order  of  creation. 
The  perfection  of  his  bodily  form  is  as  far  superior  to  that  of 
other  beings  as  his  intellect  surpasses  their  instinct,  beautiful 
and  marvellous  though  it  be.  Between  man  and  brutes  there 


2  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

is  an  impassable  barrier,  over  which  man  can  never  fall,  or 
beasts  hope  to  climb.  Man,  when  fallen  from  his  high  estate, 
and  deprived  of  the  use  of  his  reason,  still  holds  the  supremacy 
over  the  lower  animals,  and  is  not  subject  even  to  the  most 
perfect  and  powerful  brutes.  There  is  but  one  genus  of  man- 
kind, HOMO,  and  but  one  species,  Sapiens  ;  that  is,  the  rational 
human  being.  Intellect,  or  reason,  differs  from  instinct  in 
its  power  of  accommodation  to  circumstances  ;  whereas  in- 
stinct ever  remains  unchanged.  The  beaver,  when  confined 
in  a  cage,  still  builds  dams  in  order  to  confine  the  stream  that 
never  visits  it ;  the  captive  squirrel,  when  satiated  with  food, 
still  conceals  the  remnants  for  a  future  repast,  although  it  is 
regularly  supplied  with  its  daily  meals ;  the  magpie  approaches 
a  dead  wasp  with  the  same  caution  as  if  it  were  living ;  and 
the  dog  flies  from  a  recently  flayed  tiger  skin  with  no  less  fear 
than  if  the  living  tiger  stood  before  him.  On  the  contrary, 
the  power  of  man's  reason  enables  him  to  alter  his  habits  and 
actions  according  to  the  change  of  external  circumstances. 
The  same  man  can  inhabit  the  burning  sands  of  the  tropics, 
or  the  everlasting  snows  of  the  north  pole  ;  and  is  able  to 
defend  himself  from  the  scorching  heat  of  the  one,  or  to  set 
at  defiance  the  piercing  cold  of  the  other. 

The  forms  and  habits  of  men  are  modified  according  to 
the  different  climates  and  positions  in  which  they  are  placed. 
These  modifications  are  in  some  cases  so  great  that  many 
philosophers,  and  not  a  few  naturalists,  have  imagined  that 
there  are  several  distinct  classes  of  mankind,  which  derive  their 
origin  from  different  sources.  There  is  certainly  no  doubt 
that  the  educated  human  being  who  peruses  these  pages, 
seated  in  a  comfortable  apartment,  surrounded  with  luxuries 
brought  from  almost  every  country  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
within  sound  of  church  bells,  and  clothed  in  garments  fitted 
to  defend  him  from  the  heat  of  summer  or  the  cold  of  winter, 
is  far  superior  to  the  half-naked  Bosjesman,  who  has  no  con- 
ception of  a  God,  who  lives  in  caves,  or  scrapes  a  hole  in  the 
sand,  in  which  he  crouches  until  he  has  devoured  the  last 
putrid  morsel  of  the  prey  which  he  has  been  fortunate  enough 
to  secure,  and  which  he  then  abandons  to  the  beasts  of  the 
desert,  scarcely  less  provident  than  himself.  Yet  this  supe- 
riority results  entirely  from  the  external  circumstances  in 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  3 

which  each  is  placed.  Let  each  be  transplanted  into  the 
country  of  the  other,  and  in  a  lew  generations  we  should  find 
the  Bosjesman  civilized,  and  capable  of  reading  how  his  former 
superior,  now  sunk  into  the  savage  state,  gains  a  precarious 
subsistence  by  hunting,  and  passes  his  life  in  caves. 

Some  theorists  have  ventured  so  far  as  to  assert  that  the 
Negro  is  but  an  improved  monkey,  and  that  his  reason 
is  nothing  but  a  partially  civilized  instinct.  That  these 
theorists  were  no  anatomists  is  sufficiently  evident,  and  it 
would  not  be  necessary  to  prove  the  absurdity  of  their 
assertion,  were  it  not  that  many  have  actually  been  deceived 
by  their  flimsy,  though  specious  arguments.  Indeed,  at  the 
present  time,  when  we  find  one  philosopher  giving  what  he 
considers  satisfactory  proofs  that  salt  is  the  cause  of  all 
earthly  misery,  and  the  reason  why  the  sun  is  at  so  great  a 
distance  from  us ;  another  reviving  the  very  ancient  belief, 
that  the  earth  is  flat  like  a  plate  ;  and  a  third  pretending  to 
read  a  sealed  letter  with  the  point  of  his  toe,  or  to  examine  the 
interior  of  a  friend  some  hundred  miles  distant ;  it  is  difficult 
to  say  to  what  extent  credulity  can  proceed. 

We  will,  however,  briefly  examine  this  theory  respecting 
the  humanity  of  the  Negro,  partly  by  anatomy,  but  mostly 
by  common  sense.  That  monkey,  or  rather  ape,  whose  form 
most  resembles  that  of  man,  is  the  Orang-outan.  We  will 
compare  this  animal  with  the  Negro.  Will  any  one  venture 
to  deny  that  the  noble  sweep  of  cranium,  and  the  smooth 
globular  surface  of  the  human  skull,  demonstrating  the  volume 
of  the  brain  within,  is  a  proof  of  far  superior  intellect  than 
is  indicated  by  the  heavy  ridges,  the  irregular  prominences, 
and  the  small  capacity  of  the  ape's  skull  ?  The  face  of  the 
ape  is  an  instrument  for  procuring  food,  and  a  weapon  for 
attack  and  defence,  while  that  of  man  is  an  ever-changing 
index  of  the  workings  of  the  mind  within.  We  therefore  find 
that  the  jaws  of  the  ape  are  enormously  developed,  armed 
with  formidable  fangs,  and  marked  with  strong  bony  ridges, 
to  which  the  powerful  muscles  which  move  the  jaws  are 
attached.  On  the  other  hand,  as  man  is  enabled  to  procure 
food,  and  to  manufacture  weapons  by  means  of  his  hands, 
his  jaws  and  teeth  are  reduced  to  the  smallest  size  compatible 
with  the  preservation  of  life. 


4  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  habitually  erect  posture  is  another  characteristic  of 
mankind.  Other  animals  are  not  fitted  for  it ;  since,  when  they 
attempt  to  assume  that  position,  their  head  is  thrust  so  far 
forward  that  its  weight  destroys  their  balance,  and  the  bones 
of  the  leg  and  the  pelvis  are  so  formed  as  to  give  them  a 
tottering  gait.  When  the  ape  attempts  to  stand  erect,  it 
balances  itself  by  its  immensely  long  arms,  which  reach  to 
the  feet,  and  assists  itself  along  by  the  hands  pressed  on  the 
ground.  Perhaps  the  word  "  feet "  should  not  have  been 
used,  as  the  ape  has  no  feet,  properly  so  called,  as  another 
pair  of  hands  supply  the  place  of  those  members.  The 
length  and  position  of  the  fingers  on  these  hinder  hands, 
prevent  the  ape  from  planting  more  than  the  heel  upon  the 
ground.  It  therefore  hobbles  along  with  its  body  bent,  and 
at  best  can  only  contrive  to  manage  an  uncertain  and 
vacillating  shuffle  ;  nor  does  it  ever  walk  so  well  or  so  grace- 
fully in  the  erect  posture  as  many  of  the  performers  at  Astley's 
do  on  their  hands,  which  are  apparently  less  fitted  for  walking 
than  those  of  the  ape. 

The  power  of  the  thumb  is  much  greater  in  man  than  in 
the  apes ;  it  is  by  means  of  this  instrument  that  man  is  able 
to  handle  large  or  small  objects,  to  wield  a  sword  or  a  pen, 
to  cast  a  spear  or  thread  a  needle.  There  are  many  other 
anatomical  differences  which  need  not  be  described. 

The  intellectual  power  in  man  shows  its  supremacy  over 
the  instinct  of  the  ape  in  many  ways.  We  will  take  as  our 
example  of  mankind,  the  most  abject  of  the  human  race,  the 
Bosjesman  as  represented  at  the  commencement  of  this 
chapter.  Surely  this  is  not  the  act  of  an  ape.  No  ape  or 
monkey  was  ever  able  to  manufacture  weapons  for  itself.  It 
may,  indeed,  take  up  a  stick  or  a  stone  and  defend  itself 
vigorously,  but  it  could  never  form  a  bow  and  arrow,  much 
less  reflect  that  the  juices  of  certain  plants  rubbed  on  the  points 
of  its  weapons  would  cause  inevitable  death  to  any  animal 
wounded  by  them.  Yet  the  diminutive  Bosjesman,  who  is 
far  lower  in  intellect,  and  much  less  civilized  than  the  calum- 
niated Negro,  boldly  attacks,  with  perfect  certainty  of  success, 
an  animal  before  which  the  most  intelligent  ape  that  ever  lived 
would  fly  in  helpless  terror. 

Neither  can  an  ape  procure  fire,  nor  even  renew  it.     It  will 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  5 

sit  delighted  by  a  flame  which  a  chance  traveller  has  left, 
and  spread  its  hands  over  the  genial  blaze ;  but  when  the 
glowing  ashes  fade,  it  has  not  sufficient  understanding  to 
supply  fresh  fuel,  but  sits  and  moans  over  the  expiring 
embers. 

The  Bosjesman  makes  a  bow  and  arrow  ;  he  tips  the  arrow 
with  a  hard  substance  to  make  it  penetrate ;  he  imbues  the 
point  with  substances  which  he  has  learned  are  fatal  when 
mingled  with  the  blood,  and  then  sallies  forth  in  search  of 
some  animal  whose  skin  may  serve  as  a  dress,  and  whose 
flesh  may  furnish  him  a  meal.  When  by  his  unerring 
weapons  he  has  succeeded  in  destroying  the  terrible  and 
ferocious  lion,  the  swift  antelope,  or  the  wary  ostrich,  he 
constructs  for  himself  a  hut  by  the  side  of  his  prey,  strikes 
fire,  fetches  fuel,  and  dresses  his  meat.  These  are  actions  which 
no  beast  ever  performed,  and  no  ape  could  ever  imitate. 

One  point  of  difference  between  man  and  brutes  has  yet  to 
be  mentioned — LANGUAGE.  This  one  word  includes  almost 
every  distinction  mentioned,  as  it  is  by  the  use  of  language 
that  we  are  enabled  to  communicate  our  ideas  to  each  other, 
to  give  the  thoughts  hidden  in  our  minds  an  almost  visible 
shape,  to  record  our  experience  for  the  benefit  of  others ; 
in  a  word,  it  is  by  language  that  we  are  civilized.  The  ape 
has  no  language,  although  there  is  no  apparent  anatomical 
reason  why  apes  should  not  speak,  and  therefore,  the  Orang- 
outan  in  the  gardens  of  the  Zoological  Society  is  no  more 
refined,  not  does  it  make  a  nearer  approach  to  civilization, 
than  its  ancestors  in  the  time  of  Adam. 

We  have  now  seen  that  mankind  have  little  in  common 
with  brutes,  and  that  the  barrier  between  the  two  can  be 
passed  by  neither :  we  will  now  consider  the  question  of  the 
unity  of  mankind. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  man  is  modified  according 
to  the  climate  and  position  in  which  he  is  placed.  There 
are  several  of  these  modifications,  or  varieties  as  they  are 
called,  but  authors  do  not  agree  as  to  their  number.  Some 
describe  the  human  family  as  divided  into  five  varieties 
or  races :  the  Caucasian,  the  Mongolian,  the  Ethiopian, 
the  Malayan,  and  the  American ;  each  of  these  being  sub- 
divided into  families,  as  for  instance,  the  Caucasian  race 


6  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

subdivided  into  the  Caucasian,  the  Celtic,  the  Germanic,  the 
Arabian,  the  Libyan,  the  Nilotic,  and  the  Indostanic  families. 
The  division  generally  received  is  that  of  Pickering,  who 
enumerates  eleven  races  of  men,  all  of  whom  he  has  seen  ;  the 
Arabian,  Abyssinian,  Mongolian,  Hottentot,  Malay,  Papuan, 
Negrillo,  Telingan,  Ethiopian,  Australian,  and  Negro.  He 
differs  from  Prichard  in  several  points,  but  especially -in  re- 
ferring the  population  of  America  to  the  Mongolian  race, 
whereas  Prichard  considers  it  as  entirely  separate. 

The  characteristics  and  distribution  of  each  race  are  briefly 
these.  The  Arabian  race  extends  over  the  whole  of  Europe, 
excepting  Lapland,  about  half  of  Asia,  including  the  greater 
part  of  India,  and  most  of  the  northern  third  of  Africa.  The 
complexion  is  light,  the  lips  are  thin,  the  nose  is  prominent, 
and  the  beard  thick.  Number,  about  350,000,000.  The 
Abyssinian  race  occupies  a  small  tract  towards  the  east  of 
Africa,  including  part  of  Abyssinia,  and  part  of  Nubia.  The 
features  are  like  those  of  Europeans,  the  complexion  is  light, 
the  hair  is  crisp,  and  the  beard  moderate.  Number  about 
3,000,000.  The  Mongolian  race  is  remarkable  for  a  feminine 
aspect  in  both  sexes,  so  that  a  stranger  is  often  perplexed  to 
distinguish  a  man  from  a  woman  at  a  short  distance ;  the 
hair  is  straight,  and  the  beard  is  wanting.  It  extends  over 
the  eastern  half  of  Asia,  except  Corea,  over  Lapland,  and  the 
whole  of  America,  except  the  western  coast  by  California, 
and  the  upper  part  of  South  America.  Number  300,000,000. 
The  Hottentot  race  occupies  the  southern  extremity  of  Africa. 
The  complexion  is  not  so  dark  as  that  of  the  Negro,  the  hair 
is  woolly,  and  frequently  grows  in  irregular  patches,  leaving  a 
bald  spot  in  the  centre  of  each  patch.  This  race  includes  the 
Bechuanas  and  the  Bosjesmans.  The  complexion  of  the  Bosjes- 
mans,  or  Bushmen,  is  very  light,  and  strongly  resembles  that 
of  an  European,  with  a  few  sooty  patches  irregularly  placed. 
Number  about  500,000.  The  Malay  race  is  almost  amphi- 
bious, and  is  never  found  inland.  It  is  widely  spread,  and 
inhabits  the  centre  of  Madagascar,  the  whole  of  the  islands  in 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  except  the  Fiji,  New  Hebrides,  Solomon's 
Isles,  Papua,  and  parts  of  the  Philippines.  The  parts  of 
America  not  populated  by  the  Mongolians,  are  also  inhabited 
by  this  race.  The  complexion  is  a  dark  copper,  the  hair 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  7 

straight,  when  cut  it  stands  erect,  and  the  beard  is  thin. 
Number  120,000,000.  The  Papuan  race  inhabits  about 
two-thirds  of  Papua,  and  the  Fiji  Islands,  where  Pickering 
saw  the  only  individuals  of  this  race  who  came  under  his 
notice.  The  complexion  is  dark,  the  hair  bushy,  the  beard 
copious.  The  most  remarkable  point  in  this  race  is  the  skin, 
which  is  astonishingly  rough  and  harsh.  Number  3,000,000. 
The  Negrillo  race  is  like  the  Papuan  in  colour,  but  the  hair 
is  more  woolly,  the  stature  is  small,  and  the  beard  absent. 
The  Negrillos  inhabit  part  of  Papua,  Solomon's  Isles,  the 
northern  extremities  of  Luzon  and  Sumatra,  and  the  New 
Hebrides.  Number  3,000,000.  The  Telingan,  or  Indian 
race,  inhabits  the  eastern  parts  of  India,  especially  about 
Calcutta,  several  isolated  spots  in  other  parts  of  India,  and 
the  east  coast  of  Madagascar.  The  complexion  is  dark  (best 
imitated  by  a  mixture  of  red  and  black),  the  skin  is  soft,  the 
features  are  like  those  of  Europeans,  hair  straight  and  fine, 
and  the  beard  copious.  Number  60,000,000.  The  Ethiopian 
race  is  darker  than  the  Telingan,  the  hair  is  crisp  and  fine, 
skin  soft,  and  the  features  are  more  like  European  features 
than  those  of  the  Negro.  This  race  inhabits  the  north-eastern 
portion  of  Africa,  including  Southern  Egypt,  part  of  Nubia, 
and  part  of  Abyssinia ;  a  few  detached  spots  toward  the 
jiorth-west,  and  a  large  tract  of  country  by  Seneg'ambia. 
Number  5,000,000.  The  Australian  race  inhabits  Australia 
alone.  The  complexion  is  like  that  of  the  Negro,  but  the 
hair  is  not  woolly  like  that  of  the  Negro.  Number  500,000. 
The  Negro  race  inhabits  the  central  parts  of  Africa,  from  the 
north  of  Ashanti  to  a  little  southward  of  Zanzibar.  The 
complexion  is  black,  the  lips  are  immensely  thick,  the  nose  is 
flat,  and  the  hair  is  close  and  curly,  strongly  resembling  wool. 
Number  55,000,000.  The  numbers  given  in  this  distribution 
are  of  course  in  many  cases  only  conjectural. 

In  the  distribution  of  races,  it  is  most  interesting  to  observe 
the  influence  of  climate  and  vegetation  on  the  character  of 
man.  The  vast  tract  of  desert  extending  from  the  north-west 
of  Africa,  through  Arabia,  part  of  India  and  Tartary,  as  far 
as  Mongolia,  is  inhabited  by  nomadic,  or  wandering,  tribes, 
who  depend  principally  on  the  milk  of  their  domesticated 
animals  for  subsistence. 


8  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  interminable  and  trackless  woods  of  North  America 
develop  tribes  whose  faculties  are  moulded  to  the  exigencies 
of  their  position.  To  their  practised  senses  the  tangled  forests 
are  as  clear  as  the  highway ;  the  moss  on  the  trees,  the  sun 
by  day,  the  stars  by  night,  the  rushing  of  the  wind,  or  the 
sounds  of  animal  life,  are  as  broad  roads  and  legible  signs  to 
them,  where  we  should  discover  no  means  to  escape  from  the 
wilderness  of  trees.  Dependent  in  a  great  measure  on  hunt- 
ing for  their  subsistence,  their  keen  eye  marks  the  slightest 
trace  of  the  expected  prey ;  a  drooping  leaf,  a  twisted  blade 
of  grass,  a  bent  twig,  a  ripple  in  the  stream,  are  all  noticed 
and  all  understood.  Ever  eagerly  bent  on  the  destruction  of 
inimical  tribes,  arid  deeming  the  number  of  "  scalps"  attached 
to  their  dress,  each  designating  a  slain  enemy,  as  the  best 
mark  of  nobility,  they  learn  to  track  an  enemy  by  his  foot- 
steps with  unexampled  patience  and  untiring  assiduity.  No 
bloodhound  ever  followed  his  prey  with  more  certainty  than 
the  American  Indian  when  on  his  "  war-path"  tracks  his  re- 
tiring enemies,  and  when  near  them  his  approach  is  silent  as 
the  gliding  of  the  serpent,  his  blow  as  deadly  as  its  fangs. 

The  Malay  race,  whose  lot  is  thrown  amid  islands  and 
coasts,  are  as  crafty  and  fierce  on  the  waters  as  the  American 
Indians  in  their  woods.  Accustomed  to  the  water  from  their 
earliest  infancy,  able  to  swim  before  they  can  walk,  making 
"  playthings  of  waves  that  would  dash  an  ordinary  swimmer  to 
pieces  against  the  rocks,  their  existence  is  almost  entirely 
passed  on  the  water.  As  the  American  Indians  are  slayers 
and  robbers  by  land,  so  are  the  Malays  murderers  and  pirates 
by  sea.  They  have  been  known  to  capture  a  ship  in  the 
midst  of  a  storm  by  swimming  to  it  and  climbing  up  the 
cable,  and  many  instances  of  their  crafty  exploits  in  ship- 
taking  are  on  record.  For  a  full  account  of  their  ferocity, 
cunning,  and  endurance,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Sir  James 
Brook's  reports  on  the  Borneo  pirates. 

The  Esquimaux,  situated  among  ice  and  snow,  where  mer- 
cury freezes  in  the  open  air  and  water  becomes  ice  within  a 
yard  of  a  blazing  fire,  pass  an  apparently  inactive  life.  They 
actually  form  the  ice  and  snow  into  warm  and  comfortable 
houses ;  wrapped  up  in  enormous  fur  garments  that  almost 
disguise  the  human  form,  they  defy  the  intensity  of  the  frost, 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  u 

and  place  their  highest  happiness  in  the  chance  possession  of 
a  whale,  which  will  furnish  them  with  food,  clothing,  and 
light  through  their  long  winter. 

All  these  races,  although  they  differ  in  habits  and  external 
appearance,  are  but  varieties  of  one  species.  There  is  not  so 
marked  a  distinction  between  the  European  and  Negro,  as 
between  the  light  and  active  racer,  and  the  heavy  brewer's 
horse ;  yet  no  one  attempts  to  deny  that  these  are  one  species. 
The  varieties  in  man  are  permanent  ;  that  is,  the  child  of 
Negro  parents  will  be  a  Negro,  and  the  child  of  Malay  parents 
will  be  a  Malay,  but  that  is  no  proof  of  a  distinct  species,  as 
precisely  the  same  argument  may  be  used  with  regard  to  the 
horse.  The  mind  is  the  important  part  of  man,  not  the 
body ;  and  though  the  outward  bodies  of  men  differ,  the 
mind  is  the  same  in  all,  and  in  all  capable  of  improvement 
and  cultivation. 

It  were  an  easy  task  to  prove  the  unity  of  mankind  by 
Scriptural  proofs,  but  I  have  thought  it  better  to  use  rational 
arguments,  as  so-called  reason  was  the  weapon  used  to  dis- 
prove the  facts  which  the  Scriptures  asserted.  Sufficient,  I 
trust,  has  been  said  to  show  that  man  "  has  dominion  over 
the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over 
every  living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth  ;"  and  also 
that  the  whole  of  mankind  forms  one  great  family,  precisely 
according  to  the  Scriptural  assertion,  that  Eve  was  "  the 
mother  of  all  living." 

The  migration  of  the  human  race,  or  their  progress  from 
one  part  of  the  world  to  another,  is  a  question  of  considerable 
difficulty.  Many  parts  of  the  earth,  such  as  islands,  could 
not  be  reached  without  some  artificial  means  to  enable  men 
to  cross  the  water.  This  implies  some  degree  of  civilization, 
as  boats  or  rafts  are  the  result  of  much  thought  and  some 
skill.  The  question  is  yet  to  be  answered.  Pickering  has 
published  a  map  containing  the  probable  route  of  mankind 
through  the  earth.  He  appears  to  think  that  the  oft  mooted 
problem  of  the  population  of  America  is  not  very  difficult  of 
solution,  as  the  Aleutian  Isles  form  a'  chain  of  spots  easily 
traversed  by  the  skin-covered  canoes  which  are  still  in  use 
among  those  islands.* 

*  Pickering's  Races  of  Man.     Hall's  Edition,  p.  296. 


10  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

All  nations  which  have  preserved  traditions  of  past  events 
agree  in  many  points  in  a  very  remarkable  manner.  All  have 
some  traditions  of  a  creation,  not  always  of  a  world,  but  of 
that  particular  part  in  which  they  reside.  The  Fiji  islanders 
believe  that  one  of  their  gods  fished  up  Fiji  from  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  by  entangling  his  fish-hook  in  a  rock,  and  that  the 
island  would  have  been  higher  had  not  the  line  broken.  The 
fish-hook  is  still  preserved  as  a  proof,  but  they  do  not  state 
where  the  god  stood  while  fishing.  A  traveller  asked  one  of 
the  priests  why  the  hook,  an  ordinary  tortoishell  one,  did  not 
break  ?  "  Oh  !  it  was  a  god's  hook  and  could  not  break." 
But  why  then  did  the  line  break  ?  Whereupon  the  man, 
according  to  the  prevailing  system  of  argument  in  those 
countries,  and  perhaps  in  a  few  others,  threatened  to  knock 
him  down  if  he  abused  the  gods  any  more.  Most  nations 
have  dim  notions  of  a  deluge  which  overwhelmed  the  whole 
world,  and  from  which  only  a  few  individuals  escaped,  by 
whom  the  earth  was  repeopled.  Nearly  all  believe  in  a 
good  and  an  evil  power  continually  •  at  warfare,  and  that  the 
good  will  finally  subdue  the  evil.  Many  savage  nations,  in 
consequence,  seek  to  propitiate  the  evil  power  with  prayers  and 
offerings,  feeling  sure  that  the  good  one  will  not  injure  them. 

All  nations  (except  one  or  two,  such  as  the  abject  Bosjes- 
man,  who  can  form  no  idea  of  what  he  cannot  see,  and  whose 
answer  when  told  of  a  God,  is  "  Let  me  see  him")  believe  in 
a  future  state.  Their  belief  is  invariably  modified  according 
to  their  habits.  Some  of  the  debased  dark  races  believe  that 
after  death  they  become  white  men  and  have  plenty  of 
money  ;  the  Mahometan  considers  his  paradise  as  an  abode 
of  everlasting  sensual  indulgence  ;  the  savage  believes  that 
when  he  leaves  this  world  he  will  pass  to  boundless  hunting- 
fields,  where  shall  be  no  want  of  game,  and  where  his  arrows 
shall  never  miss  their  aim  ;  the  Christian  knows  his  heaven 
to  be  a  place  of  unspeakable  and  everlasting  happiness,  where 
the  power  of  sin  shall  have  ceased  for  ever. 

The  mind  of  man  is  much  influenced  by  outward  objects 
and  the  society  by  which  it  is  surrounded.  If  a  man  be  con- 
fined to  one  spot,  or  within  certain  bounds,  his  mind  becomes 
feeble  in  proportion  to  the  isolation.  The  rustic,  whose  ideas 
never  wander  from  the  farm  on  which  he  works,  and  whose 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  11 

travels  are  circumscribed  by  his  native  village,  or,  at  most, 
by  a  casual  visit  to  the  nearest  market  town,  exhibits  a  mind 
which  has  received  a  certain  set  of  ideas,  false  as  well  as  true, 
and  which  refuses  alike  to  admit  new  notions  or  to  give  up 
any  of  the  old. 

So  great  is  the  influence  of  society  on  the  mind,  that  an 
experienced  clergyman,  while  examining  some  candidates  for 
Confirmation,  observed  that  the  Oxford  children  were  two 
years  in  advance  of  those  of  the  same  age  who  had  been  bred 
in  the  country.  So  with  music,  a  town  child  is  accustomed 
to  hear  street  music,  and  readily  catches  the  air,  while  the 
country  child,  whose  notions  of  music  are  confined  to  the 
dismal  hosannas  and  lugubrious  psalmody  of  the  village 
church,  is  usually  devoid  of  musical  ear,  but  is  great  in  imita- 
tion of  rooks,  cows,  pigs,  and  donkeys. 

The  most  perfect  case  of  isolation  known,  was  that  of  the 
celebrated  Kaspar  Hauser,,  who  had  been  confined  for  the 
first  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  of  his  life  in  a  dark  cave,  and 
was  never  permitted  even  to  see' his  keeper.  In  consequence, 
when  he  at  length  left  his  dungeon,  his  mind  was  that  of  an 
infant,  his  body  that  of  a  man.  It  would  have  been  a  most 
interesting  and  important  experiment  to  watch  the  gradual 
development  of  his  mind,  but,  unfortunately  for  science,  an 
unknown  dagger  reached  his  heart,  and  this  mysterious 
victim  of  a  hidden  plot  perished,  leaving  the  riddle  of  his 
life  unsolved  and  the  development  of  his  intellect  unfinished. 
This  furnishes  us  with  another  distinction  between  man  and 
beasts.  When  the  mind  of  Hauser  was  released  from  its 
bands,  it  at  once  began  to  expand,  and  every  day  gave  it 
fresh  powers.  Not  so  with  the  ape,  whose  brain  is  rapidly 
developed  when  young,  and  receives  no  further  increase  as  it 
grows  in  stature. 


SKULL    OF    MAN. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family  II.  Simiadffi.—  (Lat.  Simla,  an  ape—  Ape  kind.) 
TROGLODYTES.—  (Gr.  rpujTir],  a  hole  ;  6vu,  to  creep.) 


Niger  (Lat.  black),  the  Chimpanzee. 

THE  section  Quadrumana  includes  the  apes,  baboons,  and 
monkeys.  The  name  of  Gluadrumana  is  given  to  these  animals 
because,  in  addition  to  two  hands  like  those  of  man,  their  feet 
are  also  formed  like  hands,  and  are  capable  of  grasping  the 
-branches  among  which  most  monkeys  pass  their  lives. 

Apes  are  placed  at  the  head  of  the  Gluadrumana  because 
their  instinct  is  mostly  superior  to  that  of  the  baboons  and 
monkeys,  of  whom  the  former  are  usually  sullen  and  ferocious, 
and  the  latter  volatile  and  mischievous. 

The  Chimpansee  and  the  Orang-outan  have  been  con- 
founded together  by  the  older  naturalists,  whose  error  has 
been  repeated  even  to  the  present  time.  That  they  are  really 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  13 

distinct  animals  a  glance  at  the  skull  of  each  will  at  once 
prove.  The  Chimpansee  is  a  native  of  Western  Africa,  and  is 
tolerably  common  on  the  banks  of  the  Gambia  and  in  Congo. 

Large  bands  of  these  formidable  apes  congregate  together 
and  unite  in  repelling  an  invader,  which  they  do  with  such 
fury  and  courage  that  even  the  dreaded  elephant  and  lion  are 
driven  from  their  haunts  by  their  united  efforts.  They  live 
principally  on  the  ground,  and,  as  their  name  imports,  spend 
much  of  their  time  in  caves  or  under  rocks.  Their  height 
is  from  four  to  five  feet,  but  they  are  said  not  to  reach  this 
growth  until  nine  or  ten  years  of  age. 

Several  young  chimpansees  have  been  recently  imported 
into  this  country,  and  have  shown  themselves  very  docile 
and  gentle  ;  but,  had  they  lived,  they  would  probably  in  a 
few  years  have  become  fierce  and  obstinate,  as  apes  almost 
invariably  are  when  they  reach  their  full  growth. 


SKULL  OF  CHIMPANSEE.  SKULL  OF  ORANG-OUTAN. 

THE    ORANG-OUTAN. 

The  ORANG-OUTAN  inhabits  Borneo  and  Sumatra.  In  Borneo 
there  are  certainly  two  species  of  orang,  called  by  the  natives 
the  Mias-kassar  and  the  Mias-pappan.  Some  naturalists  sup- 
pose that  the  Sumatran  orang  is  also  a  distinct  species. 

This  is  the  largest  of  all  the  apes,  as  it  is  said  that  orangs 
have  been  obtained  from  Borneo  considerably  above  five  feet 
in  height.  The  strength  of  this  animal  is  tremendous;  a 
female  snapped  a  strong  spear  asunder  after  having  received 
many  severe  wounds.  Its  arms  are  of  extraordinary  length, 
the  hands  reaching  the  ground  when  it  stands  erect.  This 
length  of  arm  is  admirably  adapted  for  climbing  trees,  on 
which  it  principally  resides.  Mr.  Brooke,  the  Rajah  of  Sara- 
wak, gives  the  following  account  of  the  orangs  of  Borneo. 
There  appears  also  to  be  a  third  species,  the  Mias-rombi : — 


14  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

"  On  the  habits  of  the  orangs,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
observe  them,  I  may  remark  that  they  are  as  dull  and  as 
slothful  as  can  well  be  conceived,  and  on  no  occasion,  when 
pursuing  them,  did  they  move  so  fast  as  to  preclude  my  keep- 
ing pace  with  them  easily  through  a  moderately  clear  forest ; 
and  even  when  obstructions  below  (such  as  wading  up  to 

SIMIA. 


Satyrus  (Gr.  Survpof,  a  satyr),  the  Orang-outan. 
the  neck)  allowed  them  to  get  away  some  distance,  they  were 
sure  to  stop  and  allow  us  to  come  up.  I  never  observed  the 
slightest  attempt  at  defence ;  and  the  wood,  which  sometimes 
rattled  about  our  ears,  was  broken  by  their  weight,  and  not 
thrown,  as  some  persons  represent.  If  pushed  to  extremity, 
however,  the  pappan  could  not  be  otherwise  than  formidable  ; 
and  one  unfortunate  man,  who  with  a  party  was  trying  to 
catch  one  alive,  lost  two  of  his  fingers,  besides  being  severely 
bitten  on  the  face,  whilst  the  animal  finally  beat  off  his  pur- 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  15 

suers  and  escaped  When  they  wish  to  catch  an  adult,  they 
cut  down  a  circle  of  trees  round  the  one  on  which  he  is  seated, 
and  then  fell  that  also,  and  close  before  he  can  recover  him- 
self, and  endeavour  to  bind  him. 

"  The  rude  hut  which  they  are  stated  to  build  in  the  trees 
would  be  more  properly  called  a  seat,  or  nest,  for  it  has  no 
roof  or  cover  of  any  sort.  The  facility  with  which  they  form 
this  seat  is  curious ;  and  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  a 
wounded  female  weave  the  branches  together,  and  seat  her- 
self in  a  minute.  She  afterwards  received  our  fire  without 
moving,  and  expired  in  her  lofty  abode,  whence  it  cost  us 
much  trouble  to  dislodge  her. 

"  The  pappan  is  justly  named  Satyrus,  from  the  ugly  face 
and  disgusting  callosities.  The  adult  male  I  killed  was  seated 
lazily  on  a  tree ;  and  when  approached  only  took  the  trouble 
to  interpose  the  trunk  between  us,  peeping  at  me,  and  dodg- 
ing as  I  dodged.  I  hit  him  on  the  wrist,  and  he  was  after- 
wards dispatched.  I  send  you  his  proportions,  enormous 
relative  to  his  height ;  and  until  I  came  to  actual  measure- 
ment my  impression  was  that  he  was  nearly  six  feet  in 
stature. 

"  The  great  difference  between  the  kassar  and  the  pappan 
in  size  would  prove  at  once  the  distinction  of  the  two  species ; 
the  kassar  being  a  small  slight  animal,  by  no  means  for- 
midable in  his  appearance,  with  hands  and  feet  proportioned 
to  the  body,  and  they  do  not  approach  the  gigantic  extremi- 
ties of  the  pappan  either  in  size  or  power ;  and,  in  short,  a 
moderately  strong  man  would  readily  overpower  one,  when  he 
would  not  stand  a  shadow  of  a  chance  with  the  pappan." 

When  young  the  Orang-outan  is  very  docile,  and  has  been 
taught  to  make  its  own  bed,  and  to  handle  a  cup  and  saucer, 
or  a  spoon,  with  tolerable  propriety.  For  the  former  occu- 
pation it  proved  itself  particularly  apt,  as  it  not  only  laid  its 
own  bed-clothes  smooth  and  comfortable,  but  exhibited  much 
ingenuity  in  stealing  blankets  from  other  beds,  which  it  added 
to  its  own.  The  young  Orang  in  the  collection  of  the  Zoolo- 
gical Society  evinced  extreme  horror  at  the  sight  of  a  small 
tortoise,  and,  when  the  reptile  was  introduced  into  its  den, 
stood  aghast  in  a  most  ludicrously  terrified  attitude,  with  its 
eyes  intently  fixed  on  the  frightful  object. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
HYLOBATES.— (Gr.  v^r),  a  wood ;  fiaivu,  to  traverse.) 


AgiUs  (Lat  active),  the  Agile  Gibbon,  or  Oungka 

The  AGILE  GIBBON  is  a  native  of  Sumatra.  It  derives  its 
name  of  Agile,  from  the  wonderful  activity  it  displays  in 
launching  itself  through  the  air  from  branch  to  branch. 
One  of  these  creatures  that  was  exhibited  in  London  some 
time  since,  sprang  with  the  greatest  ease  through  distances  of 
twelve  and  eighteen  feet ;  and  when  apples  or  nuts  were 
thrown  to  her  while  in  the  air,  she  would  catch  them  with- 
out discontinuing  her  course.  She  kept  up  a  succession  of 
springs,  hardly  touching  the  branches  in  her  progress,  con- 
tinually uttering  a  musical  but  almost  deafening  cry.  She 
was  very  tame  and  gentle,  and  would  permit  herself  to  be 
touched  or  caressed.  The  height  of  the  Gibbon  is  about  three 
feet,  and  the  reach  of  the  extended  arms  about  six  feet. 
The  young  Gibbon  is  usually  of  a  paler  colour  than  its  parent. 
There  are  several  species  of  Gibbon,  amongst  which  some 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  17 

naturalists  include  the  Siamang,  a  monkey  chiefly  celebrated 
for  the  pains  it  takes  to  wash  the  faces  of  its  young,  a  duty 
which  it  conscientiously  performs  in  spite  of  the  struggles  and 
screams  of  its  aggrieved  offspring. 


PRESBYTES. — (Gr.  Trpeafivrrif,  an  old  man.) 


Larvatus  (Lai  masked)  Kahau,  or  Proboscis  Monkey. 

The  KAHAU  is  a  native  of  Borneo.  It  derives  its  name 
from  the  cry  it  utters,  which  is  a  repetition  of  the  word 
"  Kahau."  It  is  remarkable  for  the  extraordinary  size  and 
shape  of  its  nose,  and  the  natives  relate  that  while  leaping 
it  holds  that  organ  with  its  paws,  apparently  to  guard  it 
against  the  branches.  The  length  of  its  head  and  body  is 
two  feet. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Entellus  (Lat.  A  proper  name),  the  Entellus  Monkey. 

The  ENTELLUS,  or  Hoonuman,  is  a  native  of  India.  It  is 
astonishingly  active  in  the  capture  of  serpents.  It  steals 
upon  the  snake  when  asleep,  seizes  it  by  the  neck,  runs  to 
the  nearest  stone,  and  deliberately  grinds  down  the  reptile's 
head  until  the  poisonous  fangs  are  destroyed,  frequently  in- 
specting its  work  and  grinning  at  the  impotent  struggles  of 
the  tortured  reptile.  When-  the  snake  is  rendered  harmless 
the  monkey  casts  it  to  its  young,  who,  after  tossing  about  and 
exulting  over  their  fallen  enemy  for  some  time,  finally  destroy 
it.  The  length  of  its  head  and  body  is  about  two  feet  two 
inches. 

Seven  genera  are  omitted  on  account  of  want  of  space. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  19 

CraocEpniLtrs. — (Gr.  KVUV,  a  dog ;  /ce^aAi?,  a  head) 


Mormon  (Gr.  Mop/^wv,  a  bogie),  the  Mandrill. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  BABOONS.  This  trihe  is  principally 
distinguished  from  the  apes  by  their  short  and  insignificant 
looking  tails.  The  baboons  are  the  only  mammalia  which 
exhibit  brilliant  colours ;  on  these,  however,  nature  has 
bestowed  vivid  tints  hardly  to  be  surpassed  even  by  the 
gorgeous  plumage  of  the  tropical  birds. 

The  Mandrill,  which  is  the  most  conspicuous  of  the  baboon 
tribe,  is  a  native  of  Guinea  and  western  Africa.  It  is  chiefly 
remarkable  for  the  vivid  colours  with  which  it  is  adorned. 
Its  cheeks  are  of  a  brilliant  blue,  its  muzzle  of  a  bright 
scarlet,  and  a  stripe  of  crimson  runs  along  the  centre  of  its 
nose.  These  colours  are  set  off  by  the  purple  hues  of  the 
hinder  quarters.  It  lives  principally  in  forests  filled  with 
brushwood,  from  which  it  makes  incursions  into  the  nearest 
villages,  plundering  them  with  impunity.  On  this  account  it 
is  much  dreaded  by  the  natives,  who  feel  themselves  incapable 
of  resisting  its  attacks.  It  is  excessively  ferocious,  and  easily 
excited  to  anger ;  indeed,  Cuvier  relates  that  he  has  seen 
several  of  these  animals  expire  from  the  violence  of  their  fury. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 


The  greenish  brown  colour  of  the  hair  is  caused  by  alternate 
bands  of  yellow  and  black,  which  exist  on  each  hair.  The 
brilliant  colours  referred  to  above  belong  to  the  skin,  and  fade 
after  death,  or  when  the  animal  is  not  in  perfect  health. 


Family  III.  *Cebidse.— (Gr.  Kyfiof,  a  monkey.     Monkey  kind.) 
ATELES. — (Gr.  dre/lfo,  imperfect.) 


Paniscus  (Gr.  Havianof,  dim.  of  irdv,  a  little  Pan),  the  Coaita  Spider 
Monkey. 

The  AMERICAN  MONKEYS,  or  Cebidae,  are  found  exclusively 
in  South  America,  and  are  never  seen  north  of  Panama.  Their 
tails  are  invariably  long,  and  in  some  genera,  prehensile. 

The  Coaita  is  one  of  the  Spider  Monkeys,  so  called  from 
their  long  slender  limbs,  and  their  method  of  progressing 
among  the  branches.  The  tail  seems  to  answer  the  purpose 
of  a  fifth  hand,  as  it  is  capable  of  being  used  for  every  pur- 
pose to  which  the  hand  could  be  applied ;  indeed,  the  Spider 

*  Pronounce  Kebidas. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  21 

Monkeys  are  said  to  use  this  member  for  hooking  out  objects 
where  a  hand  could  not  be  inserted.  The  tail  is  of  considerable 
use  in  climbing  among  the  branches  of  trees ;  they  coil  it 
round  the  boughs  to  lower  or  raise  themselves,  and  often  will 
suspend  themselves  entirely  by  it,  and  then  by  a  powerful 
impetus  swing  off  to  some  distant  branch.  The  habits  of  all 
the  Spider  Monkeys  are  very  similar.  They  are  extremely 
sensitive  to  cold,  and  when  chilly  are  in  the  habit  of  wrapping 
their  tail  about  them,  so  that  this  useful  organ  answers  the 
purpose  of  a  boa  as  well  as  a  hand.  They  will  also,  when 
shot,  fasten  their  tail  so  firmly  on  the  branches,  that  they 
remain  suspended  after  death.  The  genus  is  called  Ateles, 
or  imperfect,  because  in  most  of  the  species  the  thumb  is 
'wanting.  The  Coaita  inhabits  Surinam  arid  Guinea. 
Several  genera  are  omitted. 


MYCETES. — (Gr.  nvKrjr^f,  a  howler.) 


Urslnus  (Lat.  Ursa,  a  bear— Bear-like),  the  Ursine  Howler. 

The  HOWLING  MONKEYS  are  larger  and  more  clumsy  than 
the  Spider  Monkeys,  and  are  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  pecu- 
liarity from  which  they  derive  their  name.  These  animals 


22  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

possess  an  enlargement  in  the  throat,  which  renders  their  cry 
exceedingly  loud  and  mournful.  They  howl  in  concert,  prin- 
cipally at  the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun ;  one  monkey 
begins  the  cry,  which  is  gradually  taken  up  by  the  rest, 
precisely  as  may  be  observed  in  a  colony  of  rooks.  They  are 
in  great  request  among  the  natives  as  articles  of  food,  their 
slow  habits  rendering  them  an  easy  prey. 

The  Ursine  Howler,  or  Araguato,  is  common  in  Brazil, 
where  forty  or  fifty  have  been  observed  on  one  tree.  They 
generally  travel  in  files,  an  old  monkey  taking  the  lead,  and 
the  others  following  in  due  order.  They  feed  principally  on 
leaves  and  fruit ;  the  tail  is  prehensile  like  that  of  the  Spider 
Monkeys. 

The  genus  Cebus  is  omitted. 


CALLITHKIX. — (Gr.  nakoq,  beautiful;  6pi%,  hair.) 


Torquatus  (Lat.  torquis,  a  necklace— Collared),  the  Collared  Tee  Tee. 

The  beautiful  little  animals  here  represented  belong  to  the 
Squirrel  Monkeys,  so  called  on  account  of  their  large  bushy 
tails. 

The  COLLARED  TEE  TEE,  or  White-throated  Squirrel  Monkey, 
is  found  to  the  east  of  the  Orinoco.  It  lives  on  small  birds, 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  23 

insects,  and  fruits.  Its  habits  are,  apparently,  mild  and  in- 
offensive, but  its  acts  belie  its  looks,  for  when  a  small  bird  is 
presented  to  it,  it  springs  upon  its  prey  like  a  cat  and  speedily 
devours  it. 

JACCHUS. — (Gr.  'Ia/c^of,  Bacchus.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Marmoset. 

The  MARMOSET  is  a  most  interesting  little  creature.  It  is 
exceedingly  sensitive  to  cold,  and  when  in  England  is  usually 
occupied  in  nestling  among  the  materials  for  its  bed,  which  it 
heaps  up  in  one  corner,  and  out  of  which  it  seldom  emerges 
entirely.  It  will  eat  almost  any  article  of  food,  but  is  espe- 
cially fond  of  insects,  which  it  dispatches  in  a  very  adroit 
manner.*  Its  fondness  for  insects  is  carried  so  far,  that  it  has 
been  known  to  pinch  out  the  figures  of  beetles  in  an  entomo- 
logical work,  and  swallow  them. 

Several  genera  are  omitted  between  Callithrix  and  Jacchus. 

*  The  beautiful  little  marmoset  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  ate  a  great  number  of 
flies  which  I  caught  and  presented  to  it.  Its  little  eyes  sparkled  with  eagerness  each 
time  that  it  saw  my  hand  moving  towards  a  fly  settled  out  of  its  reach. 


24  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  IV.  Lemuridse. — (Lat.  lemures,  ghosts — Ghostlike.) 


Macaco,  the  Ruffled  Lemur. 

The    LEMURS    derive    their    name    from   their   nocturnal 
habits,  and  their  noiseless  movements.     The  Ruffled  Lemur  is 


Gracilis  (Lat  slender),  the  Slender  Loris. 

a  native  of  Madagascar.     It  lives  in  the  depths  of  the  forests, 
and  only  moves  by  night,  the  entire  day  being  spent  in  sleep. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  25 

Its  food  consists  of  fruits,  insects,  and  small  birds,  which  latter 
it  takes  while  they  are  sleeping.  This  is  the  largest  of  the 
Lemurs,  being  rather  larger  than  a  cat. 

The  SLENDER  LORIS*  is  a  native  of  India,  Ceylon,  &e.  It, 
like  the  Lemur,  seldom  moves  by  day,  but  prowls  about  at 
night  in  search  of  food.  No  sooner;  does  it  espy  a  sleeping  bird, 
than  it  slowly  advances  until  within  reach ;  then  putting 
forward  its  paw  with  a  motion  slow  and  imperceptible  as  the 
movement  of  the  shadow  on  the  dial,  it  gradually  places  its 
fingers  over  the  devoted  bird ;  then,  with  a  movement  swifter 
than  the  eye  can  follow,  it  seizes  its  startled  preyr^ 

Two  genera  are  omitted  between  Lemur  and  Loris,  and 
several  more  between  Loris  and  the  Vesper tilionidae. 


Family  V ...  Vespertilionidffl.— Lat  vespertilio,  a  bat      Bat  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Phyllostomlna. — (Gr.  ^v/lAov,  a  leaf;  arofia,  a  mouth.) 
VAMPIRUS  ("  said  by  Adelung  to  be  of  Servian  origin") 


Spectrum  (Lat.  a  spectre),  the  Vampire  Bat. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  BATS,  or  Cheiroptera.     This  name  is 
derived  from  the  singular  manner  in  which  their  fore-paws,  or 

*  See  preceding  page. 
B 


26  NATURAL   HISTORY 

hands  are  developed  into  wings.  If  the  fingers  of  a  man 
were  to  be  drawn  out  like  wire  to  ahout  four  feet  in  length,  a 
thin  membrane  to  extend  from  finger  to  finger,  and  another 
membrane  to  fall  from  the  little  finger  to  the  ancles,  he  would 
make  a  very  tolerable  Bat. 

The  usual  food  of  Bats  is  insects,  which  they  mostly  capture 
on  the  wing,  but  some,  as  the.  Vampires,  suck  blood  from 
other  animals,  and  a  few,  as  the  Kalongo,  or  Flying  Fox,  live, 
upon  fruits,  and  so  devour  the  mangoes,  that  the  natives  are 
forced  to  cover  them  with  bamboo  baskets  to  preserve  them 
from  the  ravages  of  these  animals,  who  would  soon  strip  the 
fruit-trees  without  these  precautions.  Even  the  cocoa  nut  is 
not  secure  from  their  depredations. 

The  membrane  of  the  Bat's  wing  is  plentifully  supplied 
with  nerves,  and  is  extremely  sensitive,  almost  appearing  to 
supply  a  sense  independent  of  sight.  Spallanzani  cruelly 
deprived  several  Bats  of  their  eyes,  and  then  let  them  fly  loose 
in  his  room,  across  which  he  had  stretched  strings  in  various 
places.  The  unfortunate  Bats,  however,  did  not  strike  against 
the  strings  or  any  other  obstacles,  but  threaded  their  way 
among  them  with  a  degree  of  accuracy  perfectly  wonderful. 
Many  Bats  possess  a  similar  membrane  on  the  nose,  which  is 
apparently  used  for  the  same  purpose. 

There  are  five  tribes,  or  sub-families,  of  Bats,  according  to 
Gray,  each  tribe  including  many  genera.  The  British  Museum 
possesses  seventy-seven  genera. 

The  Vampire  Bat  is  a  native  of  South  America,  where  it  is 
very  common,  and  held  in  some  dread.  It  lives  on  the  blood 
of  animals,  and  sucks  usually  while  its  victim  sleeps.  The 
extremities  where  the  blood  flows  freely,  as  the  toe  of  a  man, 
the  ears  of  a  horse,  or  the  combs  and  wattles  of  fowls,  are  its 
favourite  spots.  When  it  has  selected  a  subject,  on  which  it 
intends  to  feed,  it  watches  until  the  animal  is  fairly  asleep. 
It  then  carefully  fans  its  victim  with  its  wings  while  it  bites 
a  little  hole  in  the  ear  or  shoulder,  and  through  this  small 
aperture,  into  which  a  pin's  head  would  scarcely  pass,  it  con- 
trives to  abstract  sufficient  blood  to  make  a  very  ample  meal. 
The  wound  is  so  small,  and  the  Bat  manages  so  adroitly,  that 
;'ie  victim  does  not  discover  that  anything  has  happened  until 
the  morning,  when  a  pool  of  blood  betrays  the  visit  of  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  27 

Vampire.  Darwin  relates,  that  while  travelling  in  Chili, 
"  We  were  bivouacking  late  one  evening  near  Coquimbo,  when 
my  servant,  noticing  that  one  of  the  horses  was  very  restive, 
went  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  and  fancying  he  could  dis- 
tinguish something,  suddenly  put  his  hand  on  the  beast's 
withers,  and  secured  a  Vampire.  In  the  morning,  the  spot 
where  the  bite  had  been  inflicted  was  easily  distinguished,  from 
being  slightly  swollen  and  bloody."  This  Bat  is  placed  among 
the  Phyllostomina,  because  the  membrane  on  its  nose  re- 
sembles a  leaf.  The  length  of  its  body  is  about  six  inches. 


SKULL  OF  BAT.  HAIR  OF  BAT.' 


THE  LONG-EARED  BAT. 

The  LONG-EAIIED  BAT  is  found  in  most  parts  of  Europe,  and 
is  common  in  England.  It  may  be  seen  any  warm  evening 
flying  about  in  search  of  insects,  and  uttering  its  peculiar 
shrill  cry.  It  is  very  common  on  Hampstead  Heath.  The 
ears  are  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  and  have  a  fold 
in  them  reaching  almost  to  the  lips,  from  which  peculiarity 
the  genus  is  called  Plecotus.  These  Bats  are  very  easily 
tamed,  and  will  takes  flies  and  other  insects  from  the  hand. 
One  that  I  had  in  my  own  possession  used  to  hang  by  the 
wing-hooks  during  the  whole  of  the  day,  and  could  hardly  be 
persuaded  to  move,  or  even  to  eat ;  but  when  the  evening 
came  on  it  became  very  brisk  indeed,  and  after  carefully 
combing  itself  with  its  hind  feet,  it  would  eagerly  seize  a  fly 
or  beetle  and  devour  it,  always  rejecting  the  head,  legs,  and 
wings.  It  was  then  very  impatient  to  be  released  from  the 
cage,  and  would  show  its  uneasiness  by  climbing  about  the 
cage  and  fluttering  its  wings.  It  unfortunately  died  before 
further  investigations  could  be  made,  but  during  the  short 

*  Magnified  about  200  diameters. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


time  that  it  survived,  it  seemed  very  gentle,  and  only  bit  me 
once,  although  I  us6d  frequently  to  handle  it. 

Sub-family  c.  Vespertilionina. 
PLECOTUS. — (Gr.  U^EKU,  I  fold;  ovc,  an  ear.) 


Auritus  (Lat.  auris,  an  ear — Eared),  the  Long-eared  Bat. 


Order  II FER^E.—(L&i.  ferus,  wild.     Wild  beasts.) 

Family  I.  ...  Felidse.— (Lat.  felis,  a  cat.     Cat  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Fellna. 

THE  former  sections  have  been  characterised  by  the  number 
and  properties  of  the  Jmnds.  In  the  section  that  we  are  about 
to  consider,  the  hands  have  been  modified  into  feet.  At  the 
head  of  the  quadrupeds,  or  four-footed  animals,  are  placed  the 
carnivora,  or  flesh-eaters,  and  at  the  head  of  the  carnivora,  the 
Felidae,  or  Cat  kind  are  placed,  as  being  the  most  perfect  and 
beautiful  in  that  section.  The  Felidse  all  take  their  prey  by 
creeping  as  near  as  they  can  without  observation,  and  then 
springing  upon  their  unfortunate  victim,  which  seldom  suc- 
ceeds in  making  its  escape,  as  the  powerful  claws  and  teeth  of 
its  enemy  usually  dash  it  insensible  to  the  ground.  The  jaws 
and  teeth  of  the  Felidae  are  very  different  from  those  of  the 
animals  already  described  ;  their  jaws  are  more  powerful,  and 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  29 

their  teeth  longer  and  sharper.  Trfeir  claws,  too,  are  neces- 
sarily very  long  and  sharp,  and  to  prevent  them  from  being 
injured  by  coming  into  contact  with  the  ground,  they  are  con- 
cealed, when  not  in  use,  in  a  sheath,  which  effectually  guards 
them  and  keeps  them  sharp.  The  tongue  of  the  Felids3  is  very 
rough,  as  may  be  proved  by  feeling  the  tongue  of  a  cat.  This 
roughness  is  occasioned  by  innumerable  little  hooks  which 
cover  the  tongue,  and  all  point  backwards.  These  are  used 
for  the  purpose  of  licking  the  flesh  off  the  bones  of  their  prey. 
The  bristles  of  the  mouth,  or  whiskers,  are  each  connected 
with  a  large  nerve,  and  are  exceedingly  useful  in  indicating 
an  obstacle  when  the  animal  prowls  by  night.  Their  eyes  are 
adapted  for  nocturnal  vision  by  the  dilating  power  of  the  pupil, 
which  expands  so  as  to  take  in  every  ray  of  light. 


THE   LION. 

The  LION  stands  at  the  head  of  the  wild  beasts.  His  noble, 
and  dignified  bearing,  the  terrific  power  compressed  into  his 
comparatively  small  frame,  and  the  deep  majesty  of  his  voice, 
have  gained  for  him  the  name  of  "  king  of  beasts."  The  Lion 
inhabits  Africa  and  certain  parts  of  Asia,  such  as  portions  of 
Arabia  and  Persia,  and  some  parts  of  India.  It  varies  in 
appearance  according  to  the  locality,  but  there  is  little  doubt 
that  there  is  but  one  species.  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Gumming 
for  many  interesting  notices  of  this  noble  animal,  observed 
during  his  residence  in  Southern  Africa,  and  from  his  book 
many  extracts  will  be  given  in  the  course  of  this  work,  as  by 
his  cool  and  daring  courage  he  has  been  enabled  to  watch  the 
habits  and  actions  of  the  most  ferocious  beasts  in  the  depths 
of  their  own  haunts. 

The  Lion  is  barely  four  feet  high,  and  eight  in  length,  yet 
he  can,  with  little  difficulty,  dash  the  giraffe  to  the  earth,  or 
overcome  the  powerful  buffalo.  He  has  been  known  to  carry 
off  a  heifer  in  his  mouth,  and  although  encumbered  with  such 
a  burden,  to  leap  a  broad  dyke,  apparently  with  the  greatest 
ease.  No  animal  willingly  molests  the  Lion,  and  there  are 
but  very  few  which  he  cannot  overcome.  The  rhinoceros  and 
elephant  are  almost  the  only  quadrupeds  he  dare  not  meddle 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


with,  but  he  does  not  seem  to  stand  in  much  fear  of  them. 
Gnoos,  zebras,  and  antelopes,  seem  to  be  his  favorite  prey, 
although  one  of  the  antelopes,  the  oryx,  or  gemsbok,  not 

LEO. — (Lat.  a  Lion.} 


Barbarus  (Lat.  fierce),  the  Lion. 

unfrequently  avenges  its  own  death  by  the  destruction  of  its 
pursuer,  its  long  straight  horns  impaling  the  Lion  from  side 
to  side.  The  two  skeletons  have  been  seen  lying  together. 
The  roar  of  the  Lion  is  one  of  its  chief  peculiarities  ;  the  best 
description  of  it  is  in  Cumming's  Adventures  : — 

"  One  of  the  most  striking  things  connected  with  the  Lion 
is  his  voice,  which  is  extremely  grand  and  peculiarly  striking. 
It  consists,  at  times,  of  a  low,  deep  moaning,  repeated  five  or 
six  times,  ending  in  faintly  audible  sighs ;  at  other  times  he 
startles  the  forest  with  loud,  deep-toned,  solemn  roars,  repeated 
five  or  six  times  in  quick  succession,  each  increasing  in  loud- 
ness  to  the  third  or  fourth,  when  his  voice  dies  away  in  five 
or  six  low,  muffled  sounds,  very  much  resembling  distant 
thunder.  At  times,  and  not  unfrequently,  a  troop  may  be 
heard  roaring  in  concert,  one  assuming  the  lead,  and  two, 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  31 

three,  or  four  more  regularly  taking  up  their  parts  like  persons 
singing  a  catch." 

"  As  a  general  rule  lions  roar  during  the  night,  their  sigh- 
ing moans  commencing  as  the  shades  of  evening  envelope 
the  forest,  and  continuing  at  intervals  throughout  the  night. 
In  distant  and  secluded  regions,  however,  I  have  constantly 
heard  them  roaring  loudly  as  late  as  nine  and  ten  o'clock  on 
a  bright  sunny  morning.  In  hazy  and  rainy  weather  they 
are  to  be  heard  at  every  hour  in  the  day,  but  their  roar  is  sub- 
dued." 

The  opinion  that  lions  will  not  touch  a  dead  animal  is 
erroneous  ;  as  they  were  frequently  shot  by  Mr.  Gumming 
while  devouring  gnoos,  &c.,  that  had  fallen  by  his  rifle. 
Those  lions  who  have  once  tasted  human  flesh  are  generally 
the  most  to  be  dreaded,  as  they  will  even  venture  to  spring 
in  among  a  company  of  men,  and  seize  their  victim.  These 
lions  are  called  Man-eaters.  During  the  latter  part  of  Cum- 
ming's  residence  in  South  Africa  a  dreadful  instance  of  their 
ferocity  occurred. — While  the  hunting  party  was  encamped 
for  the  night  in  the  territory  of  the  Balakahari,  a  lion,  taking 
advantage  of  the  stormy  night,  suddenly  sprang  upon  two 
men,  Hendrick,  the  driver,  and  Ruyter,  the  Bosjesman  tracker, 
who  were  wrapped  in  the  same  blanket,  by  the  fire.  It  seized 
Hendrick  by  the  neck,  and  dragged  him  into  the  bushes,  in 
spite  of  the  blows  which  another  man  gave  it  with  a  burning 
brand,  leaving  Ruyter  unhurt  except  by  a  few  scratches  with 
its  claws.  Next  morning  it  was  shot  by  Mr.  Gumming,  who 
placed  its  skin  in  his  magnificent  collection,  where  Ruyter 
points  it  out  with  great  glee. 

The  Lioness  is  much  smaller  than  the  Lion,  and  is  destitute 
of  the  magnificent  mane  which  is  so  great  an  ornament  to  her 
mate.  As  a  general  rule  she  is  more  fierce  and  active  than 
the  male,  especially  before  she  has  had  cubs,  or  while  she  is 
suckling  them.  She  has  usually  from  two  to  four  cubs  at  a 
time.  They  are  beautiful  playful  little  things,  and  are  slightly 
striped.  They  have  no  mane  until  about  two  years  old.* 
While  her  cubs  are  small  the  Lioness  knows  no  fear,  and  will 
attack  a  company  of  men  or  a  herd  of  oxen  if  they  come  too 

*  Some  years  since,  one  of  the  keepers  at  Wombwell's  placed  a  pair  of  lion  cubs 
in  my  arms.  They  were  rather  larger  than  cats,  and  almost  unpleasantly  playful. 


32  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

near  her  den.  Her  mate  also  ably  seconds  her  endeavours, 
and  has  been  known  to  keep  the  hunters  at  bay  until  she  has 
withdrawn  her  cubs  to  a  place  of  safety,  after  which  he  bounds 
off  in  the  direction  which  she  has  taken. 

The  lion  when  young  is  easily  tamed,  and  shows  a  strong 
attachment  to  its  keeper.  Those  who  have  seen  Van  Amburgh 
will  know  what  influence  man  may  obtain  over  this  powerful 
creature.  Many  anecdotes  have  been  told  of  the  celebrated 
lion  "  Nero,"  who  would  sufier  even  strangers  to  caress  him, 
and  carry  children  on  his  back  with  the  greatest  good-nature. 

Many  naturalists,  of  whom  Buffon  is  the  chief,  have  fallen 
into  errors  concerning  the  contradictory  dispositions  of  the 
lion  and  tiger.  "  The  lion  unites  with  a  high  degree  of 
fierceness,  courage,  and  strength,  the  more  admirable  qualities 
of  nobleness,  clemency,  and  magnanimity.  Walking  with  a 
gentle  step,  he  does  not  deign  to  attack  man  unless  provoked 
to  the  combat.  He  neither  quickens  his  step  nor  flies,  and 
never  pursues  the  inferior  animals  except  when  urged  by 
hunger,"  while  the  tiger  "  presents  a  compound  of  meanness 
and  ferocity ;  he  seems  always  thirsty  for  blood,"  &c.  &c.  ,'Now 
nothing  can  be  more  erroneous  than  these  sentences.  The 
tiger  is  as  tameable  as  the  lion,  the  tiger  and  lion  seize  their 
prey  with  equal  ferocity,  and  neither  will  attack  a  man  or  any 
other  animal  when  satisfied  with  food. 

There  is  a  small  hook  or  claw  at  the  extremity  of  the  lion's 
tail,  which  has  been  represented  as  the  means  by  which  the 
animal  lashes  itself  into  fury,  using  it  as  a  spur.  This  is  im- 
possible, as  the  claw  or  prickle  is  very  small,  not  fixed  to  the 
bone  as  the  claws  of  the  feet  are,  but  merely  attached  to  the 
skin,  and  falls  off  if  roughly  handled.  It  is  not  present  in  all 
lions,  as  Mr.  Wood  only  discovered  it  once  out  of  numerous 
specimens  which  he  examined.* 

*  In  the  Nineveh  Sculptures  this  claw  is  very  strongly  marked. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
TIGRIS.— (Lat.  a  Tiger.) 


Regalis  (Lat.  royal),  the  Tiger. 

This  magnificent  animal  is  found  only  in  Asia,  Hindostan 
being  the  part  most  infested  by  it.  In  size  it  is  almost  equal 
to  the  lion,  its  height  being  from  three  to  four  feet,  and  its 
length  rather  more  than  eight  feet.  It  has  no  mane,  but  to 
compensate  for  this  deficiency  it  is  decorated  with  black 
stripes,  upon  a  ground  of  reddish  yellow  fur,  which  becomes 
almost  white  on  the  under  parts  of  the  body.  The  chase  of 
the  TIGER  is  among  the  most  exciting  and  favourite  sports  in 
India.  A  number  of  hunters  assemble,  mounted  on  elephants 
trained  to  the  sport,  and  carry  with  them  a  supply  of  loaded 
rifles  in  their  howdahs,  or  carriages  mounted  on  the  elephants' 
backs.  Thus  armed,  they  proceed  to  the  spot  where  a  tiger 
has  been  seen.  The  animal  is  usually  found  hidden  in  the  long 
grass  or  jungle,  which  is  frequently  eight  or  more  feet  in 
height,  and  when  roused,  it  endeavours  to  creep  away  under 
the  grass.  The  movement  of  the  leaves  betrays  him,  and  he 


34  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

is  checked  by  a  rifle  ball  aimed  at  him  through  the  jungle. 
Finding  that  he  cannot  escape  without  being  seen,  he  turns 
round,  and  springs  at  the  nearest  elephant,  endeavouring  to 
clamber  up  it,  and  attack  the  party  in  the  howdah.  This  is 
the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  proceedings,  as  many  elephants 
will  turn  round  and  run  away,  regardless  of  the  efforts  of 
their  drivers  to  make  them  face  the  tiger.  Should,  however, 
the  elephant  stand  firm,  a  well-directed  ball  checks  the  tiger 
in  his  spring,  and  he  then  endeavours  again  to  escape,  but  a 
volley  of  rifle  balls  from  the  backs  of  the  other  elephants,  who 
by  this  time  have  come  up,  lays  the  savage  animal  prostrate, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  his  skin  decorates  the  successful 
marksman's  howdah.  These  hunts  are  not  carried  on  without 
considerable  danger,  as  in  some  cases  the  tiger  has  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  howdah,  and  more  than  one  hunter  has  been 
known  to  overbalance  himself  in  his  anxiety  to  get  a  shot  at 
his  game,  and  has  fallen  into  the  very  claws  of  the  enraged 
brute.  Once  a  wounded  tiger  sprang  at  a  badly  trained 
elephant,  who  immediately  turned  round  and  made  off  The 
tiger  succeeded  in  reaching  the  elephant's  tail,  which  it 
mangled  dreadfully,  but  could  climb  no  higher,  partly  on 
account  of  its  wounds,  and  partly  through  the  exertions  of 
a  native,  who  kept  it  back  with  a  spear.  The  tiger  hung  in 
this  way  for  the  greater  part  of  a  mile,  when  another  hunter 
succeeded  in  overtaking  the  terrified  elephant,  and  with  a 
single  ball  freed  the  poor  animal  from  its  tormentor. 

Tigers  are  usually  taken  by  the  natives  in  pitfalls,  at  the 
bottom  of  which  is  planted  a  bamboo  stake,  the  top  of  which 
is  sharpened  into  a  point.  The  animal  falls  on  the  point  and 
is  impaled. 

The  general  notion  that  tigers  cannot  be  tamed  is  erroneous. 
They  can  be  tamed  as  easily  as  the  lion ;  but  great  caution 
must  be  used  with  ajl  wild  animals,  as  in  a  moment  of  irrita- 
tion their  savage  nature  breaks  out,  and  the  consequences 
have  more  than  once  proved  fatal.  The  melancholy  death  of 
the  "  Lion  Queen,"  in  Wombwell's  Menagerie,  is  a  recent 
example  of  this  propensity. 

In  the  British  Museum  are  three  cubs  bred  between  a  lion 
and  a  tigress.  They  are  not  unlike  lion  cubs,  but  the  stripes 
are  much  darker,  and  the  colour  of  the  fur  is  brighter. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
LEOPARDUF. — (Lat.  leo,  a  lion  ;  pardus,  a  panther.) 


Varius  (Lat.  varied),  the  Leopard,  or  Panther. 

The  LEOPARD  is  an  inhabitant  of  Africa,  India,  and  the 
Indian  Islands.  A  black  variety  inhabits  Java,  and  is  not 
uncommon  there.  Its  height  is  about  two  feet.  This  and  the 
following  Felidae  are  accustomed  to  live  much  on  trees,  and 
are  on  that  account  called  Tree-tigers  by  the  natives.  Nothing 
can  be  more  beautiful  than  the  elegant  and  active  manner  in 
which  the  leopards  sport  among  the  branches  of  the  trees  : 
at  one  time  they  will  bound  from  branch  to  branch  with  such 
rapidity  that  the  eye  can  scarcely  follow  them ;  then,  as  if 
tired,  they  will  suddenly  stretch  themselves  along  a  branch, 
so  as  to  be  hardly  distinguishable  from  the  bark,  but  start  up 
again  on  the  slightest  provocation,  and  again  resume  their 
graceful  antics.  It  is  easily  tamed,  and  expresses  great  fond- 
ness for  its  keeper,  and  will  play  with  him  like  a  cat.  A 
remarkably  beautiful  one  in  Wombwell's  Menagerie  was  ex- 
ceedingly fond  of  playing  with  the  tuft  at  the  extremity  of  a 
lion's  tail,  and  from  the  familiar  manner  in  which  he  patted 
and  bit  it,  he  evidently  considered  it  as  manufactured  for  his 
own  particular  entertainment.  The  Leopard  and  Panther  are 
considered  as  the  same  animal,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Gray. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


LKOPARDUS. 


TJncia  (Lat.  uncia,  an  ounce),  the  Ounce. 

The  OUNCE  is  a  native  of  India,  and  has  been  often  con- 
founded with  the  Leopard.  Its  fur  is  much  more  rough  than 
that  of  the  leopard,  and  the  tail  is  almost  bushy,  especially 
towards  the  extremity.  Its  body  is  marked  with  irregular 
wavy  stripes,  and  the  head  is  adorned  with  black  spots.  The 
general  colour  is  a  yellowish  grey. 

It  is  easy  to  distinguish  the  Ounce  from  the  Leopard,  by 
the  indistinctiveness  of  the  markings,  and  also  by  the  rough- 
ness of  the  fur,  which  latter  distinction,  in  the  opinion  of 
some  naturalists,  shows  that  it  lives  in  mountainous  regions. 
The  habits  and.  history  of  this  animal  are  but  little  known. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


37 


UGOPARDU& 


Onca  (Gr.  Oy/ca,  a  proper  name),  the  Jaguar. 

The  JAGUAR  inhabits  America.  It  is  larger  and  more 
powerful  than  the  leopard,  which  it  resembles  in  colour,  but 
has  a  black  streak  across  the  chest,  and  a  black  spot  in  the 
centre  of  the  rosettes.  It  is  fond  of  climbing  trees,  and  finds 
little  difficulty  in  ascending,  even  when  the  trunk  is  smooth 
and  destitute  of  branches.  It  chases  monkeys  successfully, 
and  is  said  to  watch  for  turtles  on  the  beach,  and  to  scoop 
out  their  flesh  by  turning  them  on  their  backs  and  inserting 
its  paws  between  the  shells.  It  often  makes  fearful  havoc 
among  the  sheep-folds,  and  is  said  to  depart  so  far  from  the 
usual  habits  of  the  Felidae,  as  to  enter  the  water  after  fish, 
and  to  capture  them  in  shallow  water.  There  have  been 
instances  of  the  domestic  cat  acting  in  the  same  manner. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


LEOPARDFS. 


Concolor  (Lai  of  the  same  colour),  the  Puma. 

The  PUMA  inhabits  the  whole  of  America,  where  it  is  held 
in  much  dread  by  the  natives.  Its  colour  is  an  uniform 
grey,  fading  into  white  on  the  under  parts  of  its  body;  this 
similarity  of  colour  is  the  reason  that  the  name  "  concolor" 
has  been  given  to  it.  It  lives  much  on  trees,  and  usually  lies 
along  the  branches,  where  its  uniform  dusky  fur  renders  it  so 
like  the  bark  that  it  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the 
branch.  This  habit  it  preserves  when  in  captivity,  and 
many  persons  pass  its  den  in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  fancy- 
ing it  empty,  while  the  Puma  is  lying  along  its  shelf  un- 
observed. 

The  Americans  always  speak  of  this  animal  as  the  panther, 
or  "  painter,"  as  it  is  more  familiarly  pronounced  ;  and  many 
authors  still  term  it  the  "  cougar"  a  word  contracted  from 
the  original  elongated  unpronounceable  Mexican  name. 


'NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Pardaiis  (Gr.  TrupdaAtf,  a  pard),  the  Ocelot. 

The  OCELOT,  one  of  the  Tiger-cats,  is  a  native  of  Mexico 
and  Peru. '  Its  height  is  about  eighteen  inches,  and  its  length 
about  three  feet.  It  is  a  most  beautiful  animal,  and  is  easily 
tamed.  When  in  a  wild  state  it  lives  principally  on  monkeys, 
which  it  takes  by  stratagem. 


THE   CAT. 

The  domestic  CAT  was  formerly  supposed  to  be  the  same 
animal  as  the  wild  Cat,  but  it  is  now  proved  to  be  a  distinct 
species,  and  the  difference  is  seen  at  once  by  the  form  of  the 
tail.  That  of  the  domestic  cat  is  long  and  taper,  while  that 
of  the  wild  cat  is  bushy  and  short.  The  cat  is  an  animal 
which,  whether  lying  curled  up  on  the  hearth-rug  fast  asleep 
and  immersed  in  dreams  of  shadowy  fat  mice,  or  leisurely 
pacing  the  room,  and  complacently  muttering  its  self-satisfied 
purr  as  it  brushes  softly  against  the  legs  of  the  table  or  chair, 
certainly  succeeds  in  giving  a  great  air  of  comfort  to  a  room. 
On  this  account  it  is  a  general  favourite,  especially  in  houses 
where  there  are  no  children.  Pussy,  however,  is  not  only 
ornamental,  but  useful  also,  as  she  is  eager  and  successful  in 


40  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

the  pursuit  of  rats  and  mice.  So  strong,  indeed,  is  the  passion 
for  hunting  in  the  breast  of  the  Cat,  that  she  sometimes  dis- 
dains mice  "and  such  small  deer,"  aud  trespasses  on  warrens 
or  preserves.  A  large  tabby  cat,  residing  at  no  great  distance 
from  "White  Horse  Vale,  was  accustomed  to  go  out  poaching 
in  the  preserves  of  a  neighbouring  nobleman,  and  so  expert 
was  she  at  this  illegal  sport  that  she  constantly  returned 
bearing  in  her  mouth  a  leveret  or  a  partridge,  which  she  in- 
sisted on  presenting  to  her  mistress,  who  in  vain  endeavoured 
to  check  her  marauding  propensities.  These  exploits,  how- 
ever, brought  their  own  punishment ;  for  one  day,  when  in  the 


Domestica  (Lat.  domestic),  the  Cat. 

act  of  seizing  a  leveret,  she  found  herself  caught  in  a  vermin 
trap,  which  deprived  her  of  one  of  her  hind  legs.  This  mis- 
fortune did  not  damp  her  enthusiasm  for  hunting,  as  although 
the  loss  of  a  leg  prevented  her  from  chasing  hares,  &c.,  she 
would  still  bring  in  an  occasional  rat. 

This  instinctive  desire  of  hunting  seems  to  be  implanted  in 
cats  at  a  very  early  age.  I  have  seen  kittens  but  just  able  to 
see,  bristle  up  at  the  touch  of  a  mouse,  and  growl  in  a  terrific 
manner  if  disturbed .  Weissenborn  in  his  Magazine  of  Natural 
History  gives  the  following  interesting  account  of  the  propen- 
sity of  the  cat  to  hunt,  and  of  the  mice  to  escape,  both  being 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  41 

at  an  age  rendering  it  impossible  that  any  instruction  could 
have  been  given  them  by  their  parents. 

"  That  instinct  is  an  inherent  or  innate  quality  of  animals 
is  clearly  proved  by  experience.  The  cat  possesses  the  in- 
stinct of  catching  and  eating  mice,  and  the  mouse  that  of 
shunning  the  cat  as  its  most  dangerous  enemy.  Once,  in 
Rome,  I  happened  to  open  a  drawer  which  I  seldom  had  occa- 
sion to  use,  when  I  saw  a  mouse  jumping  out  of  it,  and  found 
among  the  papers  a  nest  with  five  young  mice,  naked  and  blind, 
and  of  a  pale-flesh  colour.  I  placed  them  on  a  table,  handled 
them,  &c.,  and  they  evinced  no  symptoms  of  fright,  nor  any 
inclination  to  get  away,  but  only  appeared  eager  to  approach 
each  other  for  the  sake  of  warmth.  There  happened  to  be  in 
the  house  a  very  young  cat  who  had  never  tasted  anything 
but  milk.  I  placed  it  near  the  little  mice  by  way  of  experi- 
ment, but  to  my  astonishment  it  did  not  even  look  at  them, 
nor  perceive  them,  even  when  I  turned  its  eyes  in  the  proper 
direction,  until  at  last,  when  I  had  repeatedly  approached  its 
nose  to  the  mice,  it  suddenly  caught  a  scent  which  made  it 
tremble  with  desire.  The  propensity  became  more  and  more 
violent,  and  the  cat  smelled  at  the  mice,  touching  them  with 
its  nose,  when  all  at  once  the  pale-coloured  creatures  became 
suffused  with  blood,  and  began  to  make  great  exertions  to  get 
out  of  the  way  of  imminent  danger,  whilst  the  cat  as  eagerly 
followed  them." 

The  Cat  displays  a  great  affection  for  her  kittens,  and  her 
pride  when  they  first  run  about  is  quite  amusing.  While  I 
was  an  undergraduate  at  College,  a  cat  belonging  to  the 
baker's  department  formed  a  great  friendship  for  me,  and 
used  to  come  every  morning  and  evening  to  obtain  her  share 
of  breakfast  and  tea.  She  continued  her  attentions  for  some 
time,  but  one  morning  she  was  absent  from  her  accustomed 
corner,  nor  did  she  return  until  nearly  a  week  had  passed, 
when  she  came  again,  but  always  seemed  uneasy  unless  the 
door  were  open.  A  few  days  afterwards  she  came  up  as  usual, 
and  jumped  on  my  knee,  at  the  same  time  putting  a  little 
kitten  into  my  hand.  She  refused  to  take  it  back  again,  so  I 
restored  it  to  its  brothers  and  sisters  myself.  A  few  hours 
afterwards,  on  going  into  my  bedroom,  I  found  another  black 
kitten  fast  asleep  on  the  bed. 


42  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  the  domestic  cat,  among  which 
the  Angora  cats,  with  their  beautiful  long  fur,  and  the  Manx 
cats  of  the  Chartreuse  breed,  which  have  no  tails,  are  the  most 
conspicuous. 


CATS'  TAILS.* 


The  CARACAL  is  found  in  most  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa.  It 
derives  its  name  from  the  black  tips  of  its  ears,  which  render 
it  a  very  conspicuous  animal.  It  is  one  of  the  group  of  the 
Lynxes,  and  is  generally  supposed  to  be  the  animal  referred 
to  by  several  ancient  authors  under  the  name  of  Lynx.  It 
lives  on  the  smaller  quadrupeds  and  birds,  which  it  pursues 
even  to  the  tops  of  the  trees.  There  are  no  records  of  its 
being  tamed,  as  in  every  instance  when  confined  it  snarls  at 
those  who  approach  its  cage.  The  length  of  its  body  is  about 
two  feet,  and  its  height  about  fourteen  inches. 
CARACAL. — (Turk,  black  ears.) 


Melanotis  (Gr.  /^af.  black;  ofy,  an  ear),  the  Caracal. 


Tail  of  Domestic  Cat. 


2.  Tail  of  Wild  Cat. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

LYNCUS. — (Gr.  Avy£,  a  Lynx.) 


Canadensis  (Lat.  of  Canada),  the  Canada  Lynx. 

The  CANADA  LYNX  is  a  native  of  North  America,  and  is  re- 
markable for  its  gait.  Its  method  of  progression  is  by  bounds 
from  all  four  feet  at  once  with  the  back  arched.  It  feeds 
principally  on  the  American  hare,  as  it  is  not  courageous 
enough  to  attack  the  larger  quadrupeds.  Its  length  is  about 
three  feet.  The  natives  sometimes  eat  its  flesh,  which  is 
white  and  firm,  and  not  unlike  that  of  the  American  hare 
itself.  Its  skin  forms  an  important  article  in  commerce,  and 
between  seven  and  nine  thousand  are  imported  yearly  by  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  by  whom  the  grey  specimen  in  the 
British  Museum  was  presented. 


THE    CHETAH. 

The  CHETAH,  or  HUNTING  LEOPARD,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  and  graceful  animals  known. 
It  is  a  native  both  of  Africa  and  India,  but  it  is  only  in  the 
latter  country  that  it  is  used  for  hunting  game,  as  the  Africans 
appear  not  to  possess  sufficient  ingenuity  to  train  the  animal. 
The  method  of  employing  it  is  usually  as  follows : — The 
Chetah  is  either  led  blind-folded  in  a  chain,  or  placed 
upon  a  hackery,  or  native  cart,  and  taken  as  near  as  possible 


44  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

to  the  place  where  antelopes  or  deer  are  feeding.  "When  close 
enough,  the  hunter  takes  the  band  from  its  eyes,  and  directs 
its  head  towards  the  game.  Directly  the  Chetah  sees  the 
deer,  it  creeps  off  the  cart,  and  makes  towards  them  as  rapidly 
and  silently  as  it  can.  carefully  availing  itself  of  the  accidental 
cover  of  a  bush,  or  stone,  precisely  as  a  cat  does  when  stealing 
after  a  bird.  When  it  has  succeeded  in  unobservedly  ap- 
proaching the  unsuspecting  herd,  it  makes  two  or  three 
tremendous  springs,  and  fastens  on  the  back  of  one  unfortu- 
nate deer,  brings  it  to  the  ground,  and  waits  until  its  keeper 


Jubata  (Lat.  crested),  tJie  Chetah. 

comes  up,  who  induces  it  to  leave  its  prey  by  a  ladle-full  of 
the  blood,  which  he  takes  care  to  have  ready.  The  Chetah 
is  then  hooded  and  led  back  to  his  cart.  It  is  so  easily  tame- 
able and  so  gentle  that  it  is  frequently  led  about  the  streets  by 
a  string  for  sale. 

It  is  rather  larger  than  the  leopard,  and  differs  from  it  in 
the  length  of  its  paws,  its  inability  to  climb  trees,  and  the 
crispness  of  its  fur.  It  is  therefore  placed  in  a  different  genus 
from  the  leopard.  It  derives  its  name  of  "jubata,"  from  a 
thin  mane  running  down  the  neck. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Stub-family  b.  Hyenina. 
HYJSNA.— (Gr.  'TCaiva.) 


Striata  (Lat  striped),  the  Striped  Hycena. 

The  HYENINA,  or  HYENAS,  are  remarkable  for  their  pre- 
datory, ferocious,  and  withal,  cowardly  habits.  There  are 
several  Hyaenas,  the  striped,  the  spotted,  and  the  villose,  but 
as  the  habits  of  all  are  very  similar,  only  one  will  be  men- 
tioned. The  Hyaenas,  although  very  repulsive  in  appearance, 
are  yet  very  useful,  as  they  prowl  in  search  of  dead  animals, 
especially  of  the  larger  kinds,  and  will  devour  them  even 
when  putrid,  so  that  they  act  the  same  part  among  beasts 
that  the  vultures  do  among  birds,  and  are  equally  uninviting 
in  aspect.  They  not  unfrequently  dig  up  recently  interred 
corpses,  and  in  Abyssinia,  according  to  Bruce,  they  even  flock 
in  numbers  into  the  village  streets,  where  they  prey  on 
slaughtered  men  who  are  thrown  out  unburied.  One  of 
these  animals  attacked  Bruce  in  his  tent,  and  was  only 
destroyed  after  a  severe  battle.  Their  jaws  and  teeth  are 
exceedingly  powerful,  as  they  can  crush  the  thigh  bone  of  an 
ox  with  apparently  little  effort.  Their  skull  too  is  very 
strong,  and  furnished  with  heavy  ridges  for  the  support  of 
the  muscles  which  move  the  jaw.  The  hinder  parts  of  the 
Hyaena  are  very  small,  and  give  it  a  strange  shambling 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


appearance  when  walking.  The  Hyaena  is  easily  tamed,  and 
even  domesticated,  so  that  the  tales  <»f  its  untameable  dis- 
position are  entirely  erroneous. 

The  striped  Hyaena  is  found  in  many  parts  of  Asia  and 
Africa,  where  it  is  both  a  benefit  and  a  pest,  for  when  dead 
animals  fail  it,  the  flocks  and  herds  are  ravaged,  and  even 
man  does  not  always  escape. 


Sub-family  c.  Viverrina. — (Lat.  viverra,  a  Ferret) 
VIVERBA. 


Civetta  (Arabic  Zibetta,  scent),  the  Civet  Cat. 

The  VIVERRINA,  or  CIVETS,  are  active  little  animals,  averag- 
ing about  two  feet  in  length.  The  whole  group  is  celebrated 
for  the  perfume  which  is  secreted  in  a  glandular  pouch  near 
the  tail,  and  is  of  some  importance  in  commerce.  If  the  Civet 
is  kept  alive,  the  perfume  is  obtained  by  enclosing  it  in  a  long 
narrow  box  so  that  it  cannot  turn  round,  and  then  scraping 
the  secretion  from  the  pouch  with  a  spoon.  If  the  creature  is 
killed,  the  entire  pouch  is  usually  cut  off,  and  sells  for  a  higher 
sum  than  when  the  perfume  is  sold  separately. 

The  Civet  is  only  found  in  North  Africa,  especially  in 
Abyssinia,  where  it  takes  up  its  abode  on  uncultivated  and 
barren  hills.  It  feeds  upon  birds  and  the  smaller  quadrupeds, 
which  it  takes  by  surprise.  As  it  pursues  its  prey  by  night 
only,  its  eyes  are  formed  for  seeing  in  the  dark,  and  gleam  as 
do  those  of  a  cat. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

GENETTA.— • (Fr.  Genette.) 

-Jfi 


Vulgaris  (Lat  common),  the  Genet. 

The  GENET  slightly  resembles  the  cat,  particularly  in  its 
spots,  and  the  power  of  climbing  trees.  It  inhabits  Africa, 
and  is  not  unfrequently  found  in  the  south  of  France.  At 
Constantinople  it  is  domesticated,  and  keeps  the  houses  free 
from  rats  and  mice,  which  are  said  to  be  unable  to  endure  its 
scent,  but  it  is  much  more  probable  that  it  frees  the  houses 
from  mice  by  devouring  them. 


HKRPESTES. — (Gr.  tpirjjo-ri)?,  a  creeper.) 


Ichneumon  (Gr.  iXv£vfiuv,  a  tracker),  the  Egyptian  Ichneumon. 

The  ICHNEUMONS,  or  MANGOUSTS,  well  deserve  their  name 
of  Creepers,  for  with  their  long  bodies  and  snouts,  their  short 
limbs  and  slender  tails,  they  insinuate  themselves  into  every 
crevice  in  their  way  in  search  of  their  expected  food.  Few 
animals  are  more  useful  than  the  Ichneumons.  Snakes, 
lizards,  crocodiles'  eggs,  or  even  young  crocodiles  themselves, 


48  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

form  their  principal  food,  and  their  activity  is  so  great  that 
when  these  sources  fail,  they  are  able  to  secure  birds,  and 
even  the  swift  and  wary  lizards,  which,  when  alarmed,  dart 
off  like  a  streak  of  green  light  glancing  through  the  bushes. 

The  Egyptian  Ichneumon,  or  Pharaoh's  Rat,  as  it  is  some- 
times called,  is  a  native  of  North  Africa,  and  is  often  do- 
mesticated for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  various  snakes, 
and  other  reptile  annoyances,  which  are  such  a  pest  in  the 
houses  of  hot  countries.  It  principally  seeks  its  prey  by 
night,  creeping  along  with  such  noiseless  and  snake-like 
progress,  that  not  a  sound  warns  the  unsuspecting  victim  of 
its  danger.  Its  slender  snout  enables  it  to  suck  out  the 
contents  of  eggs  with  ease,  and  it  destroys  serpents  by  creep- 
ing behind  them,  and  then  suddenly  leaping  on  their  heads, 
which  it  instantly  crushes  between  its  sharp  teeth.  Its  length 
without  the  tail  is  about  eighteen  inches. 

About  twelve  genera  are  omitted. 


THE  DOG. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  DOG  FAMILY,  which  includes  the 
Dogs,  Wolves,  Jackals,  and  Foxes.  The  first  of  the  Dogs  is 
the  Kolsun,  or  Dhale,  which  inhabits  Bombay  and  Nepaul. 
It  hunts  in  packs,  as  most  of  the  dogs  do  even  in  a  wild 
state,  and  has  been  known  to  destroy  tigers  and  chetahs. 
Let  us  pass  to  a  more  interesting  animal,  the  Newfoundland 
Dog.  This  magnificent  creature  was  originally  brought  from 
Newfoundland.  It  is  often  confounded  with  the  Labrador 
Dog,  a  larger  and  more  powerful  animal.  Both  these  dogs 
are  trained  by  their  native  masters  to  draw  sledges  and  little 
carriages,  and  on  that  account  are  highly  esteemed.  The 
Newfoundland  dog  is  well  known  as  a  most  faithful  guardian 
of  its  master's  property.  It  is  remarkably  fond  of  the  water, 
and  will  fetch  out  any  article  which  its  master  indicates,  and 
lay  it  at  his  feet.  Many  instances  are  known  of  this  noble 
animal  saving  the  lives  of  people  that  have  fallen  into  the 
water,  and  must  have  perished  but  for  its  timely  aid.  There 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  49 

is  an  anecdote  related  of  one  of  these  dogs  leaping  over  the 
parapet  of  a  bridge,  and  rescuing  a  baby  who  had  sprung  from 
its  nurse's  arms  into  the  river.  A  gentleman  who  just  came 
up,  and  was  caressing  the  dog  after  its  exploit,  discovered,  on 
seeing  the  child,  that  it  was  his  own.  He  offered  a  large  sum 
for  the  noble  creature,  but  his  master  refused  to  part  with  him 
on  any  terms. 

Sub-family  d.  Canina. — (Lat.  Canis,  a  Dog.) 


Familiaris  (Lat.  familiar),  the  Newfoundland  Dog. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the  dogs,  as  it  stands  nearly  two 
feet  two  inches  in  height. 

The  WATER  SPANIEL,  as  its  name  denotes,  delights  in 
plunging  into  water,  especially  if  any  game  is  to  be  found 
among  the  rushes  that  fringe  the  rivers.  It  is  a  most  useful 
assistant  when  shooting  wild  ducks,  or  water  hens,  as,  when 
wounded,  they  conceal  themselves  so  effectually,  that,  without 
C 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


a  dog,  discovery  is  almost  impossible.  It  can  also  dive  to  some 
depth,  and  bring  up  in  its  mouth  any  small  object  from  the 
bottom. 


THE  WATER  SPANIEL. 


The  KING  CHARLES'S  DOG  is  a  diminutive  breed  of  spaniels, 
first  brought  into  notice  by  Charles  the  Second,  who  delighted  in 
being  accompanied  by  them  in  his  walks,  and  was  accustomed 
to  admit  them  into  his  bedchamber,  and  even  permitted  them 
to  lie  on  his  bed. 


KING  CHARLES'S  DOG. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


THE  BLOODHOUND. 


There  are  several  varieties  of  this  animal,  inhabiting  Cuba, 
Africa,  and  England.  They  all  are  endowed  with  a  wonder- 
fully acute  sense  of  smell,  and  can  trace  a  man  or  animal 
with  almost  unerring  certainty.  The  Cuban  Bloodhound  was 
formerly  employed  by  the  Spaniards  to  hunt  down  the 
natives  while  endeavouring  to  escape  from  their  invasions. 
A  few  years  since,  one  of  these  dogs  saved  the  life  of  its 
master,  an  American  hunter,  by  boldly  attacking  a  puma 
which  had  sprung  on  him  in  the  darkness,  and  was  lacerating 
him  in  a  dreadful  manner.  The  sagacious  animal  had  been 
tied  up  at  home,  but  apparently  knowing  the  dangers  of  the 
forests  through  which  his  master  was  about  to  pass,  he  broke 
his  chain,  and  arrived  barely  in  time  to  save  the  hunter  from 
a  horrible  death. 

The  English  Bloodhound  is  frequently  mentioned  by  the 
older  historians.  Bruce  was  repeatedly  chased  by  blood- 
hounds, and  at  one  time  he  was  so  closely  pressed  that  he 
barely  escaped  by  leaping  into  a  brook,  and  wading  a  con- 
siderable distance  up  the  stream,  knowing  that  running 
water  would  not  retain  the  scent.  The  bloodhounds  led  his 
pursuers  as  far  as  the  place  where  he  entered  the  water,  but 
the  stratagem  of  Bruce  baffled  them,  and  the  pursuit  was 


52  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

abandoned.  The  voice  of  these  dogs  is  peculiarly  deep,  and 
may  be  heard  at  considerable  distance.  Not  very  long  since, 
a  sheepstealer  was  detected  by  a  bloodhound  when  every  other 
means  had  failed.  The  dog,  on  being  shown  the  footsteps  of 
the  thief,  at  once  set  off  on  the  track,  and  dashed  into  a  cottage, 
where  the  unsuspecting  robber  was  busily  employed  in  skinning 
the  sheep  which  he  had  stolen.  The  height  of  this  splendid 
animal  is  about  two  feet  four  inches,  and  its  colour  a  reddish 
tan,  becoming  almost  black  along  the  back. 


THE  FOXHOUND. 


The  FOXHOUND  and  BEAGLE  are  not  very  dissimilar  in  form 
or  habits.  They  both  follow  game  by  the  scent,  and  are  used 
in  hunting.  The  Foxhound,  as  its  name  implies,  is  used  for 
hunting  the  fox,  and  enters  into  the  sport  with  extraordinary 
eagerness.  These  dogs  are  trained  with  great  care :  whole 
books  have  been  written  on  their  education,  and  men  are 
engaged  at  high  salaries  to  train  them  to  the  sport.  England 
possesses  the  finest  breed  of  foxhounds  in  the  world,  and 
certainly  no  expense  is  spared  to  improve  them,  as  one  kennel 
is  said  to  have  cost  nearly  twenty  thousand  pounds.  The 
height  of  the  foxhound  is  about  twenty-two  inches. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  53 

The  BEAGLE  is  used  principally  for  hare  hunting.  It  is 
much  smaller  than  the  foxhound,  and  not  nearly  so  swift, 
but  its  scent  is  so  perfect  that  it  follows  every  track  of  the 
flying  hare,  unravels  all  her  windings,  and  seldom  fails  to 
secure  her  at  last.  Sportsmen  usually  prefer  the  smallest 
beagles  obtainable.  The  most  valuable  pack  of  these  dogs 
known,  used  to  be  carried  to  and  from  the  field  in  a  pair  of 
panniers  slung  across  a  horse's  back.  Unfortunately,  this 
pack  was  so  well  known,  that  numerous  were  the  attempts  to 
gain  possession  of  it.  One  ill-fated  evening,  as  the  dogs  were 


THE  BEAGLE. 


returning  in  their  panniers  after  the  day's  sport,  the  keeper  was 
decoyed  away  by  some  stratagem,  and  when  he  returned,  his 
dismay  was  great  to  find  that  the  dogs,  panniers,  and  horse  were 
all  missing.  No  traces  of  them  were  discovered,  and  it  was 
conjectured  that  they  must  have  been  sold  on  the  Continent. 
It  is  a  common  custom  in  the  military  schools  and  sometimes 
at  the  universities,  to  follow  the  beagle  on  foot. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


THE  POINTER. 


The  POINTER  is  used  by  sportsmen  to  point  out  the  spot 
where  the  game  lies.  It  ranges  the  fields  until  it  scents  the 
hare  or  partridge  lying  close  on  the  ground.  It  then  remains 
still  as  if  carved  in  stone,  every  limb  fixed,  and  the  tail  point- 
ing straight  behind  it.  In  this  attitude  it  remains  until  the  gun 
is  discharged,  reloaded,  and  the  sportsman  has  reached  the  place 
where  the  bird  sprung.  It  then  eagerly  searches  for  the  game, 
and  brings  the  bird  in  its  mouth.  There  are  many  anecdotes 
of  its  intelligence,  among  which  the  following  is  not  the  least 
interesting. 

la  1829,  Mr.  J.  Webster  was  out  on  a  shooting  party  near 
Dundee,  when  a  female  pointer,  having  traversed  the  field 
which  the  sportsmen  were  then  in,  proceeded  to  a  wall,  and, 
just  as  she  made  the  leap,  got  the  scent  of  some  partridges  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  wall.  She  hung  by  her  fore-feet  until 
the  sportsmen  came  up  ;  in  which  situation,  while  they  were 
at  some  distance,  it  appeared  to  them  that  she  had  got  her  leg 
fastened  among  the  stones  of  the  wall,  and  was  unable  to  ex- 
tricate herself.  But,  on  coming  up  to  her,  they  found  that  this 
singular  circumstance  proceeded  from  her  caution,  lest  she 
should  flush  the  birds,  and  thus  suspended  herself  in  place  of 
completing  her  leap. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  55 

When  badly  trained,  this  dog  is  apt  to  make  very  absurd 
mistakes.  A  young  pointer  belonging  to  a  friend  disappointed 
him  by  most  perversely  pointing  at  a  pig  ;  and  on  another  occa- 

Sinn  \va«:  f\is.r*f\-\rf*rc*f\  ^Anc-finnr  rm   a   /Inarl  aVia/vn  inc-f^a/^  ,,4' ..-*•*,,»,,  I ;,,,- 


to  its  business 


THE  MASTIFF. 


The  group  of  the  MASTIFF  dogs  is  distinguished  by  the  short- 
ness of  the  nose  and  the  breadth  of  the  head.  This  group  in- 
cludes the  Mastiff,  the  bull-dog,  and  the  almost  obsolete  absurd 
little  pug-dog.  The  breadth  of  their  heads  is  caused  by  the 
large  muscles  which  move  the  jaw. 

The  English  Mastiff  is  generally  employed  as  a  house-dog, 
as  its  powerful  frame  and  deep  voice  are  well  fitted  to  scare 
away  marauders,  or  to  repel  them  if  they  approach  too  near. 
It  is  by  far  the  most  sagacious  of  the  whole  group,  and  ex- 
hibits much  more  attachment  to  its  master  than  the  others. 
This  animal  has  been  called  by  several  names,  of  which  "  Ban- 
dog" is  the  best  known.  Bewick  thinks  that  the  ban-dog  is  a  sep- 
arate species,  of  a  lighter  make  than  the  ordinary  English  mastiff. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


THE  BULL-DOG. 


The  BULL-DOG  is  proverbial  for  courage  and  endurance.  Un- 
fortunately its  social  qualities  are  by  no  means  pleasing,  as, 
although  it  has  some  attachment  to  its  master,  yet  it  is  not 
always  safe  even  for  him  to  disturb  it.  This  dog  was  exten- 
sively used  in  the  cruel  sport  of  bull-baiting,  a  recreation  now 
extinct.  "When  opposed  to  the  bull,  the  dog  would  fly  at 
its  nose,  and  there  hang  in  spite  of  all  the  infuriated  animal's 
struggles.  So  firm  is  its  hold,  that  the  owner  of  a  bull-dog 
'laid  a  wager  that  when  his  dog  had  seized  a  bull  he  would 
cut  off  all  his  feet  in  succession  without  inducing  the  poor 
beast  to  loose  his  hold.  The  experiment  was  made,  and  the 
cruel  master,  who  deserved  a  similar  fate  himself,  won  his 
wager. 

The  PUG-DOG  looks  like  a  bull-dog  in  miniature.  It  was 
formerly  in  great  request  as  a  pet,  but  is  now  seldom  seen. 
Its  tail  is  curled  over  its  back  so  tightly,  that  it  is  not  very 
difficult  to  believe  the  story  of  a  pug-dog  being  lifted  off  his 
hind-legs  by  the  curliness  of  his  tail. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


THE  ENGLISH  TERRIER. 


The  TERRIERS  never  grow  to  any  considerable  size.  There 
are  several  breeds  of  terriers,  among  which  the  English  and 
Scotch  are  most  conspicuous.  These  dogs  are  principally 
used  for  destroying  rats  or  other  vermin,  and  are  so  courageous 
that  they  do  not  hesitate  to  unearth  the  fox  or  the  badger. 
Otters  are  also  hunted  by  them,  but  prove  by  no  means  an 
easy  prey,  as  their  snake-like  body,  sharp  teeth,  and  amphi- 
bious habits,  render  them  very  difficult  to  seize,  and  their 
tenacity  of  life  will  frequently  enable  them  to  escape  when 
the  dog  considers  them  dead.  The  Scotch  terrier  is  a  rough, 
wiry  little  dog,  with  hair  hanging  over  its  eyes,  so  that  those 
organs  are  hardly  visible,  and  when  it  is  in  the  water  its  wetted 
hair  quite  obscures  its  vision.  There  is  a  smaller  breed  of  these 
dogs  called  the  "Skye  Terrier,"  whose  principal  beauty  seems 
to  consist  in  its  ugliness. 

Terriers  are  extremely  attached  to  their  master,  and  are 
capable  of  learning  many  amusing  tricks.  I  had  a  terrier, 
said  to  be  of  Irish  breed,  who  had  imbibed  many  of  the 
eccentricities  of  the  Irish  character.  He  was  particularly  fond 
of  terrifying  lapdogs,  a  species  of  animal  which  he  held  in 
supreme  contempt.  On  one  occasion,  he  met  a^  very  fat 
lapdog,  the  property  of  an  equally  fat  old  lady,  'waddling 
along  the  street.  Rory  looked  at  it  for  a  short  time,  and 
then  gave  it  a  pat  which  rolled  it  over  on  its  back.  Its 


58  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

mistress  immediately  snatched  it  up,  and  put  it  on  her  mufF, 
whereupon  Rory  erected  himself  on  his  hind-legs,  an  art 
which  he  possessed  in  great  perfection,  and  walked  along  by 
her  side,  making  occasional  snatches  at  the  lapdog.  The 


THE  SCOTCH  TERRIER. 


terrified  old  lady  struck  at  him  with  her  boa,  which  Rory 
immediately  caught  in  his  mouth,  and  dashed  off  with  it 
down  the  street  in  an  ecstacy  of  delight,  ever  and  anon 
tripping  over  it  and  rolling  head  over  heels.  He  had  learned 
to  shut  the  door,  ring  the  bell,  bring  the  slippers,  or  put 
the  cat  down  stairs,  which  he  accomplished  by  pushing  her 
with  his  nose  down  each  successive  stair.  During  his  residence 
at  College  he  was  accustomed  to  sit,  dressed  in  a  cap  and 
gown,  at  the  breakfast  table,  where  his  deportment  was  always 
most  exemplary,  and  afforded  a  good  example  to  many  of  the 
guests. 

The  SHEPHERD'S  DOG  is  a  rough,  shaggy  animal,  with  sharp 
pointed  ears  and  nose.  It  is  an  invaluable  assistant  to  the 
shepherd,  as  it  knows  all  its  master's  sheep,  never  suffers 
them  to  stray,  and  when  two  flocks  have  mixed,  it  will 
separate  its  own  charge  with  the  greatest  certainty.  It 
understands  every  look  and  gesture  of  its  beloved  master, 
aud  drives  the  flock  to  any  place  which  he  points  out.  This 
is  the  dog  alluded  to  by  Burns  in  the  following  beautiful 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  59 

\ 

passage  : — :;  Man,"  said  he,  "  is  the  god  of  the-  dog  ;  he  knows 
no  other ;  he  can  understand  no  other.  And  see  how  he 
worships  him !  with  what  reverence  he  crouches  at  his  feet ! 
with  what  love  he  fawns  upon  him !  with  what  dependence 
he  looks  up  to  him !  and  with  what  cheerful  alacrity  he 
obeys  him !  His  whole  soul  is  wrapt  up  in  his  god !  all  the 


THE  SHEPHERD'S  DOG. 

powers  and  faculties  of  his  nature  are  devoted  to  his  service ! 
and  these  powers  and  faculties  are  ennobled  by  the  intercourse. 
Divines  tell  us  that  it  ought  just  to  be  so  with  the  Christian ; 
but  the  dog  puts  the  Christian  to  shame." 

The  GREYHOUND  is  the  swiftest  of  all  the  dogs,  and  is  prin- 
cipally used  in  the  pursuit  of  the  hare,  which  amusement  is 
termed  coursing.  It  has  but  little  delicacy  of  scent,  and  hunts 
almost  entirely  by  sight.  The  hare  endeavours  to  baffle  it  by 
making  sharp  turns,  which  the  dog  cannot  do  on  account  of  its 
superior  size,  and  has  therefore  to  take  a  circuit,  during  which 
the  hare  makes  off  in  another  direction.  At  Ashborne,  in 
Derbyshire,  there  is  a  public-house  sign  representing  a  black 
and  white  greyhound  chasing  a  hare.  One  greyhound  was  a 
little  in  advance  of  the  other,  and  struck  the  game  so  forcibly 
with  its  nose  that  the  hare  was  thrown  over  its  back  into  the 
jaws  of  the  other  greyhound.  This  animal  has  been  known  to 


tiO  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

exert  rather  an  unexpected  talent,  viz.,  retracing  a  journey 
during  which  it  had  been  a  close  prisoner. 

"  The  celebrated  greyhound,  Black-eyed  Susan,  was  brought 
to  Edinburgh  from  Glasgow  in  the  boot  of  a  coach,  on  the 
night  of  Wednesday,  the  13th  May,  1835.  On  the  following 


THE  GREYHOUND. 


Sunday  evening  she  made  her  escape,  and  in  forty-eight  hours 
reached  her  kennel,  eight  miles  beyond  Glasgow,  being  fifty- 
two  miles  in  all.  The  road  between  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh 
she  had  never  travelled  on  foot,  and  from  the  time  taken  she 
cannot  have  come  direct ;  but  by  what  route  or  process  this 
animal  made  her  point  good  it  is  in  vain  to  conjecture." 


THE    WOLF. 

Ferocity,  craft,  and  cowardice,  are  the  well-known  traits 
of  the  WOLF.  Although  one  of  the  dog  tribe,  it  is  held  in 
utter  abhorrence  by  the  domesticated  dogs.  The  stronger 
pursue  and  destroy  it,  the  weaker  fly  from  it  in  terror.  In 
the  earlier  part  of  English  history  if  is  frequently  mentioned 
as  a  common  and  dreaded  pest.  It  was  finally  extirpated  in 
England  about  1350,  in  Scotland  about  1600,  and  was  not 
entirely  destroyed  in  Ireland  until  the  beginning  of  1700. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  61 

It  is  still  found  in  parts  of  France,  Russia,  and  the  whole  of 
Western  Asia. 

These  formidable  creatures  almost  invariably  hunt  in  bands, 
and  display  very  great  cunning  in  waylaying  and  pursuing 
their  prey.  Winter  is  the  time  of  year  most  dreaded  by  those 
who  live  in  countries  where  wolves'  exist,  as  at  that  season 
hunger  renders  them  exceedingly  ferocious  and  daring.  They 
will  then  attack  sledges,  or  carriages,  even  when  guarded  by 
armed  men.  They  are  very  wary,  and  dislike  approaching 
any  thing  at  all  resembling  a  trap.  A  traveller,  aware  of  this 
habit,  saved  his  life  by  trailing  a  cord  from  his  carriage  win- 
dow. The  wolves  thought  that  the  cord  looked  suspicious,  and 
before  they  had  quite  made  up  their  minds  about  it,  the  traveller 
reached  a  station  where  he  was  in  safety. 

The  bite  of  the  wolf  is  extremely  dangerous,  as  its  jaws  are 
immensely  strong,  and  it  .generally  brings  away  the  part  it 
seizes.  When  young,  the  wolf  can  easily  be  tamed,  and  shows 
as  great  attachment  to  its  master  as  any  dog  will.  It  is  very 
tenacious  of  life.  Parry  relates  an  anecdote  of  a  wolf  that  was 
caught  in  a  trap,  and  after  being  pierced  with  three  bullets,  and 
several  thrusts  of  a  sword,  sprung  at  one  of  the  officers,  and 
actually  succeeded  in  escaping,  although  its  hind-legs  were 
firmly  tied  together. 

CANIS.— (Lat  a  Dog.) 


fT^^r-      X 
Lupus  (Lat.  a  Wolf),  the  Wolf. 


NATURAL  HISTORY 


Aurgus  (Lat  golden),  the  Jackal. 

This  animal  is  found  in  North  Africa,  Persia,  and  India. 
It  derives  its  name  "  aureus"  from  the  yellow  tint  of  its  skin. 
It,  like  the  wolf,  unites  in  bands  to  hunt,  and  the  prey  which 
the  pack  has  taken  so  much  pains  to  secure  is  not  unfrequently 
confiscated  by  the  lion,  who  keeps  the  reluctant  hunters  at  a 
distance  until  he  has  satisfied  his  own  royal  appetite.  The 
Jackals,  however,  often  retaliate  by  assisting  at  the  demolition 
of  the  larger  prey  which  the  lion  destroys.  It  is  very  useful  in 
the  East,  as  it  acts  as  scavenger,  and  consumes  the  offal  which, 
in  those  not  very  cleanly  towns,  is  cast  into  the  streets,  and 
would  inevitably  cause  a  pestilence,  were  it  not  for  the  assist- 
ance of  the  jackals  and  other  creatures. 

It  is  excessively  fond  of  grapes,  and  makes  dreadful  havoc  in 
the  vineyards,  so  that  the  fable  of  the  Fox  and  the  Grapes 
might  be  quite  as  appropriately  related  of  this  animal.  While 
hunting,  it  utters  most  piercing  shrieks,  which  have  been  com- 
pared by  those  who  have  heard  them  to  the  wailing  of  evil 
spirits,  an  association  which  the  oriental  tombs  and  ruins  which 
it  frequents,  recalling  to  mind  the  mysterious  Arabian  Nights, 
are  most  fitted  to  produce. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  Jackals,  one  inhabiting  Senegal, 
and  another  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  They  are  rather  larger 
than  the  fox,  but  do  not  possess  nearly  so  bushy  a  tail  as  that 
"  brush,"  wherein  sportsmen  take  so  much  delight. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
VULPES.— (Lat.  a  Fox.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  fox. 

This  terror  of  hen-roosts  and  delight  of  sportsmen  is  found 
in  most  parts  of  England,  and  many  other  countries.  It 
varies  very  much  in  colour  and  size,  according  to  the  country 
where  it  lives. 

The  hahits  of  this  animal  are  mostly  nocturnal.  It  lies 
hy  day  concealed  in  its  burrow,  if  it  he  fortunate  enough  to 
possess  one,  or  in  the  depths  of  some  thicket,  if  it  is  not  a 
householder.  Towards  evening  it  sallies  out  in  search  of 
food,  and  woe  to  the  unfortunate  hare,  rahbit,  pheasant,  or 
fowl  that  comes  in  its  way  !  Reynard  does  not  attempt  to 
chase  the  hare,  for  it  is  too  swift  for  him,  or  the  rabbit,  as  it 
would  immediately  dive  into  its  hole ;  nor  does  he  run  at 
the  pheasant,  which  would  fly  away,  and  probably  only  leave 
a  tail  feather  in  the  fox's  mouth.  He  knows  his  business  too 
well.  He  creeps  very  quietly  and  slowly  to  some  place  where 
hares  or  rabbits  are  likely  to  pass,  and  then  springs  on  them 
as  they  run  by  him.  Sometimes  he  steals  into  the  hen-roost, 
destroys  and  carries  off  most  of  its  inmates,  some  of  which  he 
devours  on  the  spot,  others  he  carries  home,  and  the  remainder 
he  buries  for  a  future  repast. 

"When  irritated,  the  fox  gives  out  a  strong  disagreeable  scent, 


04  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

which  lies  so  long  on  the  ground  that  it  may  be  perceived  for 
nearly  an  hoftr  after  the  fox  has  passed.  Partly  on  this  ac- 
count, and  partly  on  account  of  its  speed,  endurance,  and  cun- 
ning, the  chase  of  the  fox  is  one  of  the  most  admired  English 
sports.  Many  tales  are  related  of  its  cunning  when  pursued, 
such  as  driving  another  fox  out  of  its  home,  and  forcing  it  to 
substitute  itself  as  the  chase,  diving  into  a  heap  of  manure,  so 
that  the  dogs  could  not  perceive  its  scent,  jumping  over  a  wall, 
running  a  little  way,  coming  back  again,  and  lying  under  the 
wall  until  all  the  dogs  had  passed,  and  then  leaping  a  second 
time  over  the  same  place  where  it  had  passed  before,  and  mak- 
ing off  on  its  old  track.  A  fox  has  been  known  to  leap  through 
a  kitchen  window,  and  hide  itself  behind  the  plates  on  the 
dresser,  without  the  observation  of  the  cook,  to  whose  terror 
and  consternation  six  or  seven  dogs  have  leaped  through  the 
same  window,  and  dragged  the  fox  from  his  lurking  place. 

The  Arctic  Fox  changes  its  fur,  and  becomes  white  during 
the  winter. 


Sub-family  e.  Mustelina. — (Lat.  Mustela,  a  Weasel.) 
MARTES. — (Lat.  a  Marten.) 


Abietum  (Lat.  of  the  Pine-tree),  the  Pine  Marten. 

The  MUSTELINA,  or  WEASELS,  are  easily  distinguished  by  their 
long  slender  bodies,  short  muzzle,  sharp  teeth,  and  predatory 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  65 

habits.  They  inhabit  almost  every  part  of  the  world,  and 
procure  their  food  by  creeping  on  the  unsuspecting  victim, 
generally  a  rabbit,  rat,  or  bird,  and  then  suddenly  darting  at 
it  and  piercing  its  neck  with  their  sharp  teeth.  Almost 
all  the  weasels  devour  the  brain  and  suck  the  blood  of  their 
prey,  but  seldom  touch  the  flesh. 

Two  kinds  of  Martens  inhabit  England,  named,  from  their 
favourite  haunts,  the  Pine  and  the  Beech  Marten.  The  Pine 
Marten  is  not  uncommon  in  Derbyshire,  where  it  is  much 
too  fond  of  chickens  and  ducklings  to  be  a  desirable  neighbour. 
This  animal,  as  well  as  the  Sable,  is  much  sought  after  on 
account  of  its  skin,  which  furnishes  a  beautiful  fur,  not  much 
inferior  to  that  of  the  Sable. 

The  SABLE,  long  famous  for  its  costly  fur,  which  is  thought 
worthy  to  adorn  the  coronation  robes  of  a  monarch,  inhabits 
Siberia.  The  chase,  or  rather  the  search,  after  these  animals 
is  attended  with  dreadful  hardships  and  great  danger.  Some- 
times a  sable  will  not  be  seen  for  days  ;  sometimes  the  bait  of 
the  trap  is  eaten  by  other  animals,  such  as  gluttons,  &c. ; 
sometimes  the  hunter's  provisions  fail ;  he  spends  days  and 
nights  in  the  midst  of  snow,  surrounded  by  interminable  pine 
forests,  and  exposed  to  the  piercing  blasts  of  the  tempest. 
Many  hunters  lose  their  lives  in  these  terrible  solitudes,  over- 
whelmed by  snow-storms,  or  famished  with  hunger. 

A  species  of  Sable  (Martes  leucopus)  inhabits  North 
America.  The  hair  of  the  sable  will  turn  either  way,  and  in 
this  respect  differs  from  the  fur  of  other  animals.  The  skins 
are  very  valuable,  varying  from  one  to  ten  pounds  in  price, 
according  to  the  quality. 


Zibe.lllna.  th 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
PUTOKITJS. — (Lat.  from  puteo,  to  stink.) 


Fcetidus  (Lat.  fetid),  the  Polecat. 

The  POLECAT,  fitchet,  foulmart,  or  "fommard,"  as  the  farm- 
ers call  it,  is  very  common  in  most  parts  of  England.  It  is 
dreadfully  destructive  to  the  poultry,  and  destroys  both  old 
and  young.  William  Howitt  relates  an  interesting  anecdote  of 
his  dog  unearthing  a  polecat,  and  afterwards  bringing  out  of 
its  hole  an  entire  brood  of  ducklings  that  had  most  unaccounta- 
bly disappeared  from  the  premises  of  a  farmer.  Winter  is  the 
usual  time  for  its  appearance  in  the  farmyard,  as  in  the  sum- 
mer it  obtains  its  food  with  less  risk  among  the  warrens. 

The  FERRET  is  supposed  to  be  a  domesticated  variety  of 
the  polecat,  and  a  mixed  breed  is  generally  preferred  by 
rat-catchers,  who  use  the  ferret,  first  muzzling  it  carefully, 
to  drive  the  rats  out  of  their  holes,  when  they  are  either 
struck  down  with  sticks,  or  killed  by  terriers,  who  keep  a 
sharp  watch  for  them.  The  hair,  called  Fitch,  is  much  used 
for  making  paint  brushes. 


MUSTELA.— Erminga.— The  Stoat. 

The  STOAT,  or  ERMINE,  is  also  another  common  English 
animal.     It    is    less    than    the    polecat,    but   its    habits    are 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  67 

scarcely  less  predacious.  Hares  and  rabbits  fall  easy  victims 
to  their  little  enemy,  who  despatches  them  with  a  single  bite, 
penetrating  the  brain.  During  the  winter,  the  stoat  becomes 
partially  white,  in  northern  countries  wholly  so,  except  the 
tip  of  the  tail,  which  remains  black.  In  this  state  it  is  called 
the  Ermine,  and  is  killed  in  great  numbers  for  the  sake  of 
its  beautiful  and  valuable  fur. 

MUSTELA. — (Lat.  a  Weasel.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Weasel. 

The  WEASEL  is  the  least  of  this  tribe.  It  is  excessively 
useful  to  farmers,  as  it  wages  unrelenting  war  on  rats  and 
mice,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time  extirpates 
them  from  a  barn  or  a  stack.  It  hunts  by  scent  like  dogs,  and 
tracks  the  unfortunate  rat  with  the  most  deadly  certainty. 
On  this  account  some  farmers  encourage  it  on  their  premises, 
but  the  generality  destroy  it,  and  nail  its  body  on  the  barn 
door,  forgetting  that  although  it  does  sometimes  abstract  a 
chicken  or  an  egg,  yet  it  will  not  touch  them  as  long  as  it 
can  find  rats  or  mice.  It  is  a  most  courageous  little  animal, 
and  will  even  attack  men,  who  have  found  it  by  no  means  a 
despicable  antagonist,  as  it  invariably  dashes  at  the  throat, 
where  a  bite  from  its  long  sharp  teeth  would  be  very 
dangerous. 


THE    HONEY    RATEL. 

The  RATEL  is  a  native  of  South  Africa,  and  lives  principally 
on  the  combs  and  honey  of  the  wild  bee,  although  it  is  very 
probable  that  much  of  its  subsistence  is  derived  from  flesh 
and  roots.  It  is  said  to  be  guided  to  the  bee's  nest  by  a  bird 


63  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

called   the  Honey-guide,  which,  as  the  natives  assert,  being 

very  fond  of  honey  and  unable  to  attack  the  hive  by  itself, 

MELLIVOBA. — (Lat.  met,  honey  ;  voro,  I  devour.) 


Ratel,  the  Honey  Ratel. 

seeks   for  the  honey-ratel,   and   admonishes  it   by  a  peculiar 
cry  that  the  desired  honeycomb  is  not  very  far  distant. 


The    WOLVERINE,    Glutton,    or    Carcajou,    inhabits    North 
America.     Accounts  vary  respecting  the  habits  of  this  animal. 
The  older  naturalists  say  that  it  ascends  trees,  and  drops  on 
GULO.— (Lat.  a  Glutton.) 


Luscus  (Lat.  blinking),  the  Wolverine. 

the   neck   of  any  unfortunate  deer  which  happens   to   pass 
beneath,    and   that   having   once   secured  its  prey,  it  never 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  69 

leaves  it  until  the  last  morsel  is  consumed.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  the  Glutton  is  known  to  hunt  after  its  prey,  which  it 
follows  for  many  miles  at  a  slow  but  persevering  pace,  and 
seldom  fails  of  bringing  it  down  at  last.  It  is  especially 
hated  by  the  sable  hunter,  as  it  will  follow  him  in  his  rounds, 
robbing  the  traps  of  the  baits  as  it  proceeds,  and  should  a 
sable  be  caught  it  generally  tears  it  to  pieces,  or  buries  it  in 
the  snow.  The  hunter  has  some  slight  revenge  in  robbing  it 
of  its  skin,  as  the  fur  is  in  some  request,  but  the  mischief  it 
does  him  is  not  by  any  means  counterbalanced  by  the  value 
of  its  hide. 

It  is  a  very  determined  animal,  and  when  attacked  defends 
itself  vigorously,  proving  more  than  a  match  for  a  dog.  The 
length  of  the  glutton,  without  the  tail,  is  about  two  feet  six 
inches. 

Several  genera  are  omitted. 


MELES.— (Lat.  a  Badger.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  cvmmon),  the  Badger. 

This  harmless  and  much  injured  animal  (which  is  often 
subjected  to  such  ill  treatment  that  the  term  "  badgering"  a 
person  is  used  to  express  irritating  him  in  every  possible 
way)  is  found  throughout  Europe  and  Asia.  It  is  not  now 
very  common  in  England,  but  is  frequently  found  in  Scotland, 


70  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

where  it  is  termed  the  "  Brock,"  a  name  familiar  to  us  all, 
through  the  means  of  Dandie  Dinmont,  who  also  immortalized 
the  pepper  and  mustard  terriers. 

The  Badger  lives  at  the  bottom  of  deep  burrows  which  it 
excavates,  and  in  which  it  passes  all  the  day,  sleeping  on  a 
very  comfortable  bed  of  hay  and  grass.  When  the  evening 
approaches  it  seeks  its  food,  consisting  of  roots,  fruit,  insects, 
and  sometimes  young  rabbits.  It  is  also  said  to  attack  the 
wild  bee,  and  boldly  to  devour  the  honey  and  combs,  its  thick 
hair  and  skin  rendering  it  utterly  regardless  of  the  stings  of 
the  enraged  bees,  who  "might  as  well  sting  a  barber's 
block." 

The  cruel  sport  of  baiting  the  badger  is  still  continued. 
The  poor  creature  is  placed  inside  a  kennel,  and  dogs  set  at 
it,  who  are  not  unfrequently  worsted  by  the  badger,  as  its 
bite  is  terrific,  and  its  skin  so  tough,  and  hair  so  thick,  that 
the  bites  of  the  dog  do  not  take  full  effect.  The  pleasure  of 
this  "  sport,"  as  in  many  other  diversions  of  the  sporting 
world,  appears  to  consist  in  trying  whether  the  dogs  or  the 
badger  will  be  most  mangled  in  a  given  time. 

Its  skin  is  rather  valuable,  the  hair  being  extensively  em- 
ployed in  the  manufacture  of  brushes,  and  its  fur  being  in 
some  request  for  holsters.  The  omnivorous  and  thrifty 
Chinese  eat  its  flesh,  as  indeed  they  will  that  of  most  animals, 
and  consider  its  hams  a  very  great  dainty.  The  length  of  the 
badger  is  about  two  feet  three  inches. 


THE   OTTER. 

The  OTTER  seems  to  play  the  same  part  in  the  water  as 
the  polecat  and  the  other  weasels  on  the  land.  Like  the  pole- 
cat, it  is  excessively  rapacious ;  like  the  polecat,  it  destroys 
many  more  creatures  than  it  can  devour ;  and  as  the  polecat 
only  eats  the  brain  and  sucks  the  blood,  so  the  other  daintily 
eats  the  flakes  at  the  back  of  the  fish's  neck,  and  leaves  the 
remainder  for  less  fastidious  animals.  In  Scotland,  where  the 
otter  abounds,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  a  large  fish,  such 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  71 

as  a  salmon,  lying  on  the  bank,  perfectly  fresh  and  entire, 
except  a  few  inches  along  the  back,  which  the  otter  has  bitten 
out. 

It  is  extremely  interesting  to  watch  the  actions  of  this 
almost  amphibious  creature.  It  slides  noiselessly  into  the 
water,  turns  and  twists  about  below  the  surface  with  the  same 
or  greater  ease  than  a  fish,  then,  with  a  graceful  sweep  of  the 
body,  it  glides  to  the  surface  and  ascends  the  bank  with  almost 
the  same  motion.  While  below  the  surface  it  bears  a  great 
resemblance  to  the  seal,  the  method  in  which  it  disposes  its 
hind-feet  greatly  assisting  the  effect.  Its  rapid  and  easy 
movements  in  the  water  are  mostly  performed  by  the  assistance 
of  its  powerful  tapering  tail. 

Otter  hunting  is  a  very  favourite  sport  in  Scotland,  where 
almost  every  stream  is  furnished  with  its  otter.  At  the  sight 
of  the  footsteps  of  the  animal  the  population  round  is  in  a 
commotion,  the  dogs  are  assembled,  guns  and  spears  provided, 
and  the  hunters  go  out  in  sufficient  numbers  and  with  suffi- 
cient arms  to  kill  a  tiger ;  and  from  all  accounts  it  is  quite  as 
difficult  an  animal  to  destroy;  for  by  diving,  and  biting,  and 
hiding  among  stones,  added  to  its  great  tenacity  of  life,  it  gives 
the  hunters  no  little  trouble  to  secure  it. 

The  otter  is  easily  tamed,  and  its  predatory  habits  turned 
to  account,  as  it  is  sometimes  trained  to  catch  fish  and  bring 
them  to  shore,  precisely  as  the  falcon  is  trained  to  catch 
terrestrial  game. 

Several  genera  are  omitted. 


LUTRA. — (Lat.  an  Otter.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Otter. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family  II.  .  .    Ursldce.  (Lat.  ursus,  a  bear;  Bear  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.   Urslna. 


Arctos  (Gr.  "Ap/cro?,  a  bear),  the  Sear. 

The  BEARS  and  their  allies  are  mostly  heavy,  and  walk  with 
the  whole  foot  placed  flat  on  the  ground,  unlike  the  cats,  dogs, 
&c.,  who  walk  with  merely  their  paws  or  toes.  All  the  bears 
are  omnivorous,  that  is,  they  can  eat  either  animal  or  vegetable 
food,  so  that  a  leg  of  mutton,  a  pot  of  honey,  a  potato,  or  an 
apple,  are  each  equally  acceptable. 

The  Brown  Bear  inhabits  the  north  of  Europe,  Switzerland, 
and  the  Pyrenees.  It  has  been  extirpated  from  England  for 
many  centuries,  but  is  recorded  to  have  been  found  in  Scot- 
land so  late  as  1057.  The  inhabitants  of  Northern  Europe 
hunt  it  with  much  skill,  and  take  it  in  traps  and  pitfalls, 
availing  themselves  of  its  love  for  honey.  It  is  said  that  there 
exists  a  practice  of  placing  the  hive  in  a  tree,  and  planting 
long  spikes  round  its  foot.  A  heavy  log  of  wood  is  then  sus- 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  73 

pended  by  a  cord  just  before  the  entrance  of  the  hive,  and  the 
trap  is  complete.  The  bear  scents  the  honey  and  comes  to 
look  at  the  tree.  The  spikes  rather  astonish  him,  but  he 
sniffs  his  way  through  them,  and  commences  the  ascent. 
When  he  has  reached  the  hive,  he  is  checked  by  the  log  hang- 
ing before  the  entrance  :  this  he  finds  is  movable,  and  pushes 
aside,  but  it  is  just  so  long  that  a  mere  push  will  not  entirely 
remove  it,  so  he  gives  it  a  tremendous  pat,  and  looks  in  at 
the  entrance.  Just  as  he  has  succeeded  in  putting  his  nose 
to  the  hive,  the  log  returns  and  hits  him  very  hard  on  the 
head.  This  makes  him  exceedingly  angry,  and  he  pokes  it 
away  harder  than  ever,  only  to  return  with  a  mpre  severe  blow 
than  before.  He  now  has  a  regular  fight  with  the  log,  hitting 
it  first  to  one  side  and  then  to  the  other,  the  perverse  block 
invariably  striking  his  head  every  time,  until  at  last  a  severer 
blow  than  usual  knocks  him  fairly  off  the  tree  on  to  the  spikes 
below. 

In  the  time  of  Q,ueen  Elizabeth  the  bear  used  to  be  baited, 
but  this  cruel  sport  is  now  happily  extinct. 

Two  genera  are  omitted. 


THE    GRIZZLY    BEAR. 

The  GRIZZLY  BEAR  is  a  native  of  North  America.  It  is 
the  most  ferocious  and  powerful  of  its  family.  The  American 
Indians  fear  it  so  much,  that  a  necklace  of  its  claws,  which 
may  only  be  worn  by  the  individual  who  destroyed  the  bear, 
is  a  decoration  entitling  the  wearer  to  the  highest  honours. 
It  is  able  to  overcome  and  carry  off  the  enormous  bison, 
and  to  dig  a  pit  in  which  to  bury  it. 


THE    POLAR    BEAR. 

The  POLAR,  or  WHITE  BEAR,  called  Nennook  by  the  Esqui- 
maux, lives  in  the  Arctic  regions,  where  it  feeds  on  seals,  fish, 
and  even  the  walrus,  but  it  dares  not  attack  the  latter  animal 
openly.  It  is  a  formidable  antagonist  either  by  land  or  water, 
as  it  dives  with  great  ease,  and  is  able  to  chase  the  seal  amid 
D 


74  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

the  waves.  Nelson  nearly  lost  his  life  by  imprudently 
attacking  one  of  these  animals  with  no  weapon  but  a  rusty 
musket,  which  could  not  be  induced  to  fire ;  and  indeed  had 
he  not  been  separated  from  the  infuriated  bear  by  a  cleft  in 
the  ice,  he  could  hardly  have  escaped  its  claws.  As  the  seals 
frequently  crawl  out  of  the  water  upon  rocks  or  fragments  of 
ice,  the  Polar  bear  is  forced  to  swim  after  them,  but  lest  they 
should  observe  him  he  makes  his  approaches  by  a  succession 
of  dives,  and  contrives  that  the  last  dive  brings  him  directly 
under  the  unsuspecting  seal,  who  is  immediately  grasped  and 
killed.  Richardson  states  that  these  bears  are  often  drifted 


Horribilis  (Lat.  horrible),  the  Grizzly  Sear. 

from  Greenland  to  Iceland  on  fields  of  ice,  and  that  they  find 
the  flocks  and  herds  so  very  delicious  after  a  long  course  of 
seal  diet,  that  the  inhabitants  are  forced  to  rise  in  a  body  and 
put  an  end  to  their  depredations. 

To  give  this  animal,  who  is  constantly  running  over  fields 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  75 

of  ice,  a  firm  footing,  the  soles  of  its  feet  are  thickly  covered 
with  long  hair,  on  the  same  principle  that  elderly  gentlemen  in 
the  winter  are  forced  to  tie  list  round  their  shoes. 

THALARCTOS. — (Gr.  from  duhaaaa,  the  Sea,  and  uonTOf,  a  Bear.) 


Maritimus  (Lat.  belonging  to  the  sea),  the  Polar  Bear. 


THE    RACOON. 

The  RACOON  is  an  inhabitant  of  Canada  and  other  parts  of 
America.  It  derives  its  name,  lotor,  from  the  habit  it  is  said  to 
possess,  of  washing  its  food  before  eating  it.  It  is  about  the 
size  of  a  large  fox.  Its  skin  is  very  valuable,  and  is  much 
sought  after  by  American  hunters,  who  pride  themselves  on 
their  skill  in  shooting  this  active  and  wary  animal.  There 
is  a  story  related  by  the  Americans,  of  a  hunter  who  was  so 
excellent  a  marksman  that  when  he  entered  a  wood  the  'coons 
came  down  of  their  own  accord,  knowing  that  escape  was  im- 
possible ;  but  we  must  class  this  tale  with  the  account  of  the 
man  who  could  grin  the  bark  off  gum  trees,  and  the  swift 


76  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Indian,  who  could  run  so  fast  round  a  tree  that  he  sometimes 
saw  his  own  back. 

The  food  of  the  Racoon  is  principally  small  animals  and 
insects.  Oysters  are  also  a  very  favourite  article  of  its  diet. 
It  bites  off  the  hinge  of  the  oyster,  and  scrapes  out  the  animal 
in  fragments  with  its  paws.  Like  a  squirrel  when  eating  a 
nut,  the  racoon  usually  holds  its  food  between  its  fore-paws 
pressed  together,  and  sits  upon  its  hind-quarters  while  it 
eats.  Poultry  are  very  favourite  objects  of  its  attack,  and  it  is 
said  to  be  as  destructive  in  a  farm-yard  as  any  fox,  for  it  only 
devours  the  heads  of  the  murdered  fowl.  Like  the  fox,  it  prowls 
by  night. 

When  taken  young  it  is  easily  tamed,  but  very  frequently 
becomes  blind  soon  after  its  capture.  This  effect  is  supposed 
to  be  produced  by  the  sensitive  state  of  its  eyes,  which  are 
only  intended  to  be  used  by  night ;  but  as  it  is  frequently 
awakened  by  daylight  during  its  captivity,  it  suffers  so  much 
from  the  unwonted  glare,  that  its  eyes  gradually  lose  their  sight. 

It  has  been  mentioned  that  the  name  in  general  use  among 
the  Americans  of  the  present  day  is  "  'Coon,"  a  word  which 
strangely  contrasts  with  its  ancient  Mexican  name  of  Cioatla- 
macazque. — Two  genera  are  omitted. 

Sub-family  c.  Procyonina. 
PROCYON. — (Gr.  TlpoKvuv,  a  constellation.) 


Lotor  (Lat.  a  washer),  the  Rcuoon. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.   Cercoleptina. 
NASUA. — (Lat.  from  nasus,  a  nose.) 


Fusca  (Lat.  fuscus,  dusky),  the  Coati-mondi. 

The  peculiarly  long  snout  of  the  COATIS  distinguishes  them 
at  once  from  the  Racoons,  which  they  resemble  in  some  other 
respects.  Their  snout  is  very  moveable,  and  is  of  great  use 
to  them  in  routing  out  the  worms  and  insects  which  they  dig 
up.  The  nostrils  are  placed  on  a  sort  of  disk  at  the  end  of  the 
snout,  and  give  the  whole  head  a  most  extraordinary  aspect. 
The  Coatis  live  upon  birds,  eggs,  insects,  and  worms,  and  some- 
times they  will  eat  roots.  They  are  nocturnal  in  their  habits, 
spending  most  of  the  day  in  sleep,  rolled  up  in  a  ball.  In  de- 
scending a  tree  they  walk  with  their  heads  downwards,  like  the 
cat,  which,  however,  they  surpass  in  activity.  These  animals 
inhabit  the  warmer  parts  of  America,  but  do  not  appear  to  be 
much  sought  after  by  hunters.  The  Brown  Coati-mondi  is  the 
species  represented ;  there  is  another  species,  the  Red  Coati. 

THE    KINKAJOU. 

The  KINKAJOU  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  America. 
It  is  not  unlike  the  Coati  in  its  habits,  but  is  more  active,  as 
it  possesses  a  prehensile  tail,  which  it  uses  in  the  same  way 
that  the  Spider  Monkeys  use  theirs.  The  tongue  of  the 
Kinkajou  is  capable  of  being  inserted  into  crevices,  and  draw- 


78  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

ing  out  any  insects  that  may  be  lying  concealed  beyond  the 
reach  of  its  paws.  The  Spanish  missionaries  give  it  the  name 
of  Honey  Bear,  because  it  is  a  great  devastator  of  the  nests  of 
the  wild  bee,  using  its  long  tongue  to  lick  the  honey  out 
of  the  cells.  When  in  captivity  it  is  very  tame  and  gentle, 
and  will  play  with  an  acquaintance  as  a  cat  will.  It  displays 
great  address  in  capturing  flies  and  other  insects  with  its 
tongue,  and  it  is  amusing  to  watch  how  its  eyes  gleam  directly 
that  a  fly  settles  within  its  reach.  During  the  earlier  part  of 
the  day  it  will  not  move,  but  towards  dusk  it  becomes  very 
brisk  and  animated,  climbing  about  its  cage,  and  swinging  from 
the  top  bars  by  its  tail  and  hind  paws. 
A  sub-family  is  omitted. 

CERCOLEPTES. — (Gr.  Kep/co? ,  a  tail ;  ZeTrrbf,  thin.) 


Caudivolviilus  (Lat.  twisted  tail),  the  Kinkajou. 


Family  III Talpidat. — (Lat.  Talpa,  a  mole.     Mole-kind.) 

Sub-family  a. .  Talpina. 

THE    MOLE. 

MANY  ridiculous  stories  of  the  MOLE  and  its  habits  may  be 
found  in  several  authors,  among  whom  ./Esop  stands  very  con- 
spicuous. This  much  maligned  animal  is  said  to  be  deprived 
of  eyes,  to  undergo  unheard-of  tortures  in  forcing  its  Way 
through  the  earth,  and  to  spend  a  life  of  misery  in  subter- 
ranean damp  and  darkness.  So  far  from  being  a  miserable 
animal,  the  Mole  seems  to  enjoy  its  life  quite  as  much  as  any 
other  creature.  It  is  beautifully  fitted  for  the  station  which 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  79 

it  fills,  and  would  be  unhappy  if  removed  from  its  accustomed 
damp  and  darkness  into  warmth  and  light. 

The  eyes  of  the  mole  are  very  small,  in  order  to  prevent 
them  from  being  injured  by  the  earth  through  which  the 
animal  makes  its  way ;  indeed  larger  eyes  would  be  useless 
underground.  When,  however,  the  mole  requires  to  use  its 
eyes  it  can  bring  them  forward  from  the  mass  of  fur  which 
conceals  and  protects  them  when  not  in  use.  The  acute  ears 
and  delicate  sense  of  smell  supply  the  place  of  eyes.  Its  fur 
is  very  fine,  soft,  capable  of  turning  in  any  direction,  and  will 
not  retain  a  particle  of  mould.  But  the  most  extraordinary 
part  of  the  mole  is  the  paw  or  hand  with  which  it  digs.  The 
two  fore  paws  are  composed  of  five  fingers,  armed  with  sharp, 
strong  nails,  in  order  to  scrape  up  the  earth,  and  to  prevent 


Europea  (Lat.  belonging  to  Europe),  the  Mole. 

the  accumulated  mould  from  impeding  the  mole's  progress ; 
the  hands  are  turned  outwardly,  so  as  to  throw  the  earth  out 
of  its  way. 

The  Mole  is  a  most  voracious  animal,  and  is  incapable  of 
sustaining  even  a  slight  fast.  Its  principal  food  is  the  earth- 
worm, in  chase  of  which  it  drives  its  long  galleries  under- 
ground ;  but  it  also  will  eat  insects,  bits  of  meat,  aud  some- 
times birds,  which  it  takes  by  surprise,  and  then  rapidly  tears 
to  pieces  with  its  powerful  claws..  This  ravenous  appetite 
causes  it  to  suffer  from  thirst  if  a  supply  of  water  is  riot  at 
hand.  For  this  reason  the  mole  always  makes  a  tunnel 
towards  a  pond  or  brook,  if  there  is  one  near.  If  no  water  is 
near,  it  digs  a  number  of  little  wells,  which  receive  the  rain 
or  dew,  and  enable  it  to  quench  its  thirst. 


80  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

It  is  a  good  swimmer,  and  can  pass  from  bank  to  bank,  or 
from  the  shore  to  an  island,  and  when  the  fields  are  inun- 
dated by  floods  it  can  save  itself  by  swimming. 

The  construction  of  the  mole's  habitation  is  very  singular 
and  interesting.  Each  mole  has  its  own  habitation  and 
hunting  ground,  and  will  not  permit  strangers  to  trespass 
upon  its  preserves,  which  it  guards,  not  by  "man-traps  and 
spring-guns,"  but  by  its  own  claws  and  teeth. 

In  order  to  construct  a  fortress,  the  mole  selects  a  secure 
place,  as  the  foot  of  a  tree,  or  the  side  of  a  high  bank.  It 
then  throws  up  a  heap  of  earth,  which  it  presses  firmly  to- 
gether, as  within  this  mound  its  fortress  has  to  be  made.  It 
commences  by  running  a  circular  gallery  near  the  summit  of 
the  mound,  and  another  larger  one  near  the  bottom.  These 
two  galleries  it  connects  by  five  descending  passages.  In  the 
very  centre  of  the  mound,  and  at  the  level  of  the  ground,  it 
now  digs  a  circular  hole,  which  it  connects  with  the  upper 
gallery  by  three  ascending  passages.  Lastly,  it  makes  a 
number  of  passages  from  the  lower  gallery,  and  connects  the 
circular  chamber  with  the  largest  of  them,  or  high  road,  by  a 
passage  that  first  bends  downwards,  and  then  rises  into  the 
high  road  a  little  outside  the  large  gallery.  In  the  circular 
chamber  the  mole  sleeps,  and  can  escape  into  the  high  road 
either  by  the  upper  gallery  or  by  the  road  from  the  bottom 
of  its  dormitory. 

Moles  vary  in  colour,  the  usual  tint  being  a  very  deep  brown, 
almost  black,  but  they  have  been  seen  of  an  orange  colour, 
and  a  white  variety  is  not  uncommon.  Those  who  have 
watched  its  habits  state  that  it  alternately  works  and  rests  at 
intervals  of  three  hours.  There  are  several  moles  known, — the 
Shrew  Mole,  the  Changeable  Mole,  the  Cape  Mole  and  the 
Star-nosed  Mole,  are  the  most  conspicuous. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.  Erinacina. — (Lat.  from  Erinaceus,  a  Hedgehog.) 
SOREX. — (Lat  a  Rat.) 


Araneus  (Lat.  a  Shrew),  the  Shrew  Mouse. 

This  pretty  little  animal  is  very  like  the  common  mouse,  but 
is  easily  distinguished  from  it  by  the  length  of  the  nose,  which 
is  used  for  grubbing  up  the  earth  in  search  of  earth-worms  and 
insects.  A  peculiar  scent  is  diffused  from  these  animals  which 
prevents  the  cat  from  eating  them,  although  she  will  readily 
destroy  them. 

Many  species  of  shrews  are  known,  inhabiting  various  coun- 
tries. There  are,  besides  the  common  species,  the  Oared  and 
the  Water  Shrew,  all  three  inhabiting  England.  The  forma- 
tion of  their  hair,  as  seen  under  a  powerful  microscope,  is  most 
singular,  and  differs  from  the  hair  of  most  other  animals  by 
suddenly  diminishing  in  thickness,  and,  after  an  interval,  re- 
covering its  former  size. 

This  is  one  of  the  numerous  animals  that  have  suffered  by 
false  reports,  and  have  been  treated  with  great  cruelty  on  ac- 
count of  those  fables.  Rustics  formerly  believed  that  the  poor 
little  harmless  creature  paralyzed  their  cattle  by  running  over 
them,  and  that  the  only  way  to  cure  the  diseased  animal  was 
to  place  a  bough  of  shrew-ash  on  the  injured  part.  The 
shrew-ash  was  made  by  boring  a  hole  into  an  ash-tree,  and 
then  plugging  up  in  the  hole  a  living  shrew-mouse.  By  the 
same  process  of  reasoning  a  shrew  cut  in  half,  and  placed  on  a 
wound  supposed  to  be  caused  by  its  bite,  was  considered  a  cer- 
tain remedy. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


The  Water  Shrew  frequents  brooks  and  clear  running  ditch- 
es, in  the  banks  of  which  it  lives.  It  swims  and  dives  with 
great  ease,  and  when  under  water  appears  as  if  it  had  been 


WATKR  SHREW. 

speckled  over  its  entire  surface  with  silver,  from  the  bubbles 
of  air  which  adhere  to  its  fur.  It  eats  the  grubs  of  various 
aquatic  insects,  digging  them  out  of  the  muddy  banks  with  its 
snout.  It  is  not  very  common,  but  I  have  seen  numbers  of 
them  inhabiting  a  brook  near  Little  Hinton  in  Wiltshire,  and 
often  watched  their  elegant  movements  and  gambols  through 
the  water. 

One  or  two  genera  are  omitted. 


ERINACEUS. — (Lat.  a  Hedgehog.) 


Europseus  (Lat.  belonging  to  Europe),  the  Hedgehog. 

The  HEDGEHOG  is  remarkable  as  being  our  only  English 
animal  that  is  guarded  with  spikes.  These  spikes  are  fixed 
into  the  skin  in  a  very  beautiful  and  simple  manner.  When 
the  Hedgehog  is  annoyed  it  rolls  itself  up,  and  the  tightness 
of  the  skin  causes  all  its  spikes  to  stand  firm  and  erect,  bidding 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  83 

defiance  to  an  unprotected  hand.  When  rolled  up,  even  the 
dog  and  the  fox  are  baffled  by  it ;  but  their  ingenuity  enables 
them  to  overcome  the  difficulty  by  rolling  it  along  until  they 
push  it  into  a  puddle  or  pool,  when  the  astonished  hedgehog 
immediately  unrolls  itself  to  see  what  is  the  matter,  and  before 
it  can  close  itself  again  is  seized  by  its  crafty  enemy. 

Many  more  fortunate  animals  have  outlived  the  aspersions 
cast  upon  their  character  by  ignorant  persons,  but  the  prejudice 
against  the  hedgehog  is  still  in  full  vigour  in  the  agricultural 
districts.  Scarcely  a  farmer  or  labourer  will  be  persuaded 
that  the  hedgehog  does  not  suck  the  cows.  Now  this  is  an 
impossibility  for  the  hedgehog,  but  I  have  seen  pigs — not 
hedgepigs,  but  real  bacon  pigs — suck  the  cows  whilst  lying 
down.  Among  other  creatures  accused  of  this  theft,  are  the 
slow-worm,  a  creature  with  an  extremely  small  mouth,  and 
the  goatsucker.  Really  when  a  man  relates  that  a  bird  sucks 
a  cow,  it  reminds  one  of  the  brother  philosophers,  one  of  whom 
milked  a  bull  while  the  other  held  the  pail. 

The  food  of  the  hedgehog  consists  not  of  cow's  milk,  but  in- 
sects, snails,  frogs,  mice,  and  snakes.  Dr.  Buckland  placed 
a  snake  in  the  same  box  with  a  hedgehog.  The  hedgehog 
gave  the  snake  a  severe  bite,  and  then  rolled  itself  up,  this 
process  being  repeated  until  the  spine  of  the  snake  was  broken 
in  several  places  ;  it  then  began  at  the  tail,  and  ate  the  snake 
gradually,  as  one  would  eat  a  radish.  White  has  seen  it  bore 
down  and  eat  the  roots  of  the  plantain,  leaving  the  leaves  and 
stem  untouched. 

The  flesh  of  the  hedgehog  is  said  to  be  good  eating,  and  the 
gipsies  frequently  make  it  a  part  of  their  diet,  as  do  the  people 
in  some  parts  of  the  Continent. 

During  the  winter  it  lives  in  a  torpid  state,  in  a  hole  well 
lined  with  grass  and  moss,  and  when  discovered  looks  like  a 
round  mass  of  leaves  as  it  rolls  itself  among  the  fallen  foliage, 
which  adheres  to  its  spikes.  The  engraving  of  the  spine,  or 
quill,  of  this  animal  shows  the  method  by  which  it  is  retained 
in  the  skin. 


SPINE  OF  HEDGEHOfi. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Family  V.  .  .  Macropidse. — (Gr.  Moytpof,  long ;  -rrovf ,  a  foot) 
Sub-family  b.  Macropina. 

MACROPUS. 


Major  (Lat.  larger),  the  Kangaroo. 

In  the  mole  we  saw  that  the  power  of  the  body  was  placed 
chiefly  in  the  fore-legs ;  we  now  come  to  a  family  which  has 
the  principal  power  placed  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  body. 
In  the  Kangaroos  the  hind-legs  are  very  long  and  immensely 
powerful ;  the  fore-legs  are  very  small,  and  used  more  as  hands 
than  for  walking  ;  the  tail  also  is  very  thick  and  strong,  and 
assists  the  animal  in  its  leaps. 

The  Great  Kangaroo  inhabits  New  Holland  and  Van  Die- 
men's  Land.  Its  singular  formation,  peculiarly  adapted  to  the 
country,  calls  forth  a  corresponding  degree  of  ingenuity  on  the 
part  of  the  natives,  who  live  much  on  its  flesh.  Its  method 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  85 

of  progression  is  by  immense  leaps  from  its  long  hind  legs 
assisted  by  its  tail.  The  length  of  each  leap  is  about  fifteen 
feet.  Of  course  this  swiftness  would  soon  leave  its  pursuers 
behind,  but  the  Australian  is  able  to  break  one  of  its  limbs 
or  strike  it  insensible  to  the  ground  with  his  boomerang,  the 
most  wonderful  weapon  that  uncivilized  man  ever  produced. 
This  extraordinary  missile  is  a  flat  curved  piece  of  wood,  which 
the  Australian  natives  can  wield  with  wonderful  skill,  making 
it  describe  circles  in  the  air,  or  rush  at  an  object,  and  then 
return  to  its  owner's  feet ;  or  throw  it  at  the  ground  and 
make  it  leap  over  a  tree  and  strike  an  object  at  the  other  side. 
Many  boomerangs  have  been  made  in  England  from  models 
brought  from  Australia,  and  it  is  not  very  difficult  to  learn 
the  turn  of  the  wrist  necessary  to  make  them  describe  a  circle 
and  return,  but  no  one  except  an  Australian  can  perform  the 
complicated  evolutions  which  the  natives  force  the  weapon  to 
describe. 

The  Kangaroo,  except  when  feeding,  stands  upright  on  his 
hind  legs,  and  can  then  see  over  the  tops  of  the  rank  herbage. 
Hunting  this  animal  is  a  very  favourite  sport  with  both 
colonists  and  natives.  The  natives  either  knock  it  down  with 
the  boomerang,  spear  it  from  behind  a  bush,  or  unite  together 
and  hem  in  a  herd,  which  soon  fall  victims  to  the  volleys  of 
clubs,  spears,  and  boomerangs  which  pour  in  on  all  sides. 
The  colonists  either  shoot  it  or  hunt  it  with  dogs,  a  herd  of 
which  is  trained  for  that  purpose  just  as  we  train  fox-hounds. 
The  "  old  man,"  or  "  boomer,"  as  the  Colonists  call  the  Great 
Kangaroo,  invariably  leads  the  dogs  a  severe  chase,  always 
attempting  to  reach  water  and  escape  by  swimming.  It  is 
a  formidable  foe  to  the  dogs  when  it  stands  at  bay,  as  it  seizes 
the  dog  with  its  fore-legs,  and  either  holds  him  under  water 
until  he  is  drowned,  or  tears  him  open  with  a  well  directed 
kick  of  its  powerful  hind  feet,  which  are  armed  with  a  very 
sharp  claw. 

The  female  Kangaroo  carries  its  young  about  in  a  kind  of 
pouch,  from  which  they  emerge  when  they  wish  for  a  little 
exercise,  and  leap  back  again  on  the  slightest  alarm.  All  the 
kangaroos  and  the  opossums  have  this  pouch,  from  which  they 
are  called  "  marsupiated"  animals,  from  the  Latin  word  mar- 
supium,  a  purse  or  pouch. 


86  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

The  length  of  the  Great  Kangaroo  is  about  five  feet  without 
the  tail,  the  length  of  which  is  about  three  feet. 

There  are  many  species  of  kangaroo,  the  most  extraordinary 
being  the  Tree  Kangaroo,  which  can  hop  about  on  trees,  and 
has  curved  claws  on  its  fore  paws,  like  those  of  the  sloth,  to 
enable  it  to  hold  on  the  branches. 

Several  genera  and  two  sub-families  are  omitted. 


Sub-family  e.  Didelphina. — (Gr.  A<f,  double;  detyvf,  a  pouch.) 

DIDELPHYS. 


Virginiana  (Lat.  belonging  to  Virginia),  the  Opossum. 

This  animal  inhabits  North  America,  and  is  hunted  with 
almost  as  much  perseverance  as  the  racoon,  not,  however,  for 
the  sake  of  its  fur  but  of  its  flesh.  When  it  perceives  the 
hunter,  it  lies  still  between  the  branches,  but  if  disturbed  from 
its  hiding  place,  it  attempts  to  escape  by  dropping  among  the 
herbage  and  creeping  silently  away. 

Its  food  consists  of  insects,  birds,  eggs,  &c.,  and  it  is  very 
destructive  among  the  hen-roosts.  The  OPOSSUM  uses  its  tail 
for  climbing  and  swinging  from  branch  to  branch  as  the 
spider  monkeys  use  theirs ;  but  the  Opossum  uses  its  tail  in 
a  manner  that  the  monkeys  have  never  yet  been  observed  to 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  87 

do,  that  is,  making  it  a  support  for  its  young,  who  sit  on  its 
back  and  twist  their  tails  round  their  mother's  in  order  to 
prevent  them  from  falling  off.  Lawson,  in  a  passage  quoted 
in  the  Museum  of  Animated  Nature,  gives  the  following  quaint 
account  of  this  animal : — ' '  If  a  cat  has  nine  lives  this  creature 
surely  has  nineteen  ;  for  if  you  break  every  bone  in  their  skin 
and  mash  their  skull,  leaving  them  for  dead,  you  may  come  an 
hour  after,  and  they  will  be  quite  gone  away,  or,  perhaps,  you 
may  meet  them  creeping  away.  I  have  for  necessity  in  the 
wilderness  eaten  of  them.  Their  flesh  is  very  white  arid  well- 
tasted  ;  but  their  ugly  tails  put  me  out  of  conceit  with  that 
fare." 

The  length  of  the  Opossum  is  about  twenty-two  inches,  and 
its  height  about  that  of  an  ordinary  cat.  When  disturbed  or 
alarmed,  it  gives  out  a  very  unpleasant  odour. 

Several  genera  are  omitted. 


Family  V ...  Phocidse. — (Gr.  QUKJJ,  a  Seal.     Seal  kind.) 
Sub-family  b.  Phocina. 


Vitullna  (Lat  belonging  to  a  calf),  the  Seal. 

The  COMMON  SEAL  inhabits  the  coast  of  Europe,  and  is  not 
unfrequently  found  in  many  parts  of  the  Scottish  coasts, 
where  seal-hunting  is  a  favourite  amusement.  The  young 
are  taken  by  stretching  nets  across  the  narrow  straits  which 


88  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

they  frequent,  but  the  older  and  stronger  animals  are  shot  or 
knocked  down  with  clubs  when  they  attempt  to  scramble  into 
the  sea,  as  a  blow  on  the  nose  instantly  disables  them. 

The  fore-feet  of  the  Seal  are  used  as  fins,  and  the  two  hinder 
feet  almost  as  the  tail  of  a  fish,  to  assist  and  direct  its  course. 
On  land  the  movements  of  this  animal  are  very  clumsy ;  it 
shuffles  along  by  means  of  its  fore-feet,  or  rather  paddles,  and 
drags  its  hind-feet  after  it. 

This  seal,  when  taken  young,  is  easily  tamed.  Edmonston 
gives  an  amusing  account  of  a  seal  named  Finna,  which  he 
kept  for  about  six  months.  "  We  had  her  carried  down  daily 
in  a  hand-barrow  to  the  sea-side,  where  an  old  excavation 
admitting  the  salt-water  was  abundantly  roomy  and  deep  for 
her  recreation  and  our  observation.  After  sporting  and 
diving  for  some  time,  she  would  come  ashore,  and  seemed 
perfectly  to  understand  the  use  of  the  barrow.  Often  she 
tried  to  waddle  from  the  house  to  the  water,  or  from  the 
latter  to  her  apartment ;  but  finding  this  fatiguing,  and  seeing 
preparations  by  her  chairmen,  she  would  of  her  own  accord 
mount  her  palanquin,  and  thus  be  carried  as  composedly  as 
any  Hindoo  princess."  This  interesting  animal,  after  living 
in  the  house  for  about  six  months,  at  last  was  decoyed  away 
by  some  wild  seals  and  did  not  return  again.  A  young  seal 
was  tamed  by  the  guard  of  a  small  island  in  the  Frith  of 
Forth  above  Edinburgh.  It  seemed  quite  to  consider  itself 
one  of  the  party,  would  accompany  their  boat  across  the 
water,  and  when  the  vessel  was  made  fast,  it  used  to  take  its 
station  inside,  and  watch  until  the  owners  returned.  It  had 
the  playful  manners  of  a  water-dog,  and  would  snatch  a  stick 
from  its  master's  hand  and  dash  into  the  sea  with  it,  where  it 
would  toss  and  tumble  about,  sometimes  approaching  close 
to  the  shore,  and  swimming  off  again  when  its  master  attempted 
to  grasp  the  stick,  but  it  invariably  brought  back  whatever  it 
had  taken.  It  would  also  bring  fish  out  of  the  water  and  give 
them  to  its  owners. 

The  length  of  the  Common  Seal  is  about  four  or  five  feet, 
and  its  weight  often  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  pounds. 
When  surprised  basking  on  the  shore,  it  scrambles  off  towards 
the  water  ;  but  if  intercepted,  dashes  at  its  antagonist,  oversets 
him  if  possible,  and  makes  its  escape  as  fast  as  it  can. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

MOUUNGA. 


V 


THE  ELEPHANT  SEAL. 

Proboscidea  (Gr.  that  has  a  proboscis  or  trunk.) 

The  ELEPHANT  SEAL  inhabits  the  Atlantic,  Pacific,  and 
Southern  Oceans.  It  is  very  much  larger  than  the  Common 
Seal,  being  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  long.  It  derives  its 
name  from  the  long  snout,  something  like  the  proboscis  of 
the  elephant,  or  rather  the  tapir,  which  it  thrusts  forward 
when  angry,  and  snorts  loudly.  Only  the  males  have  this 
proboscis,  and  they  do  not  attain  it  until  they  are  three  years 
old.  Although  its  appearance  is  very  formidable,  it  does  not 
attempt  to  attack  men ;  but  if  it  cannot  frighten  them  by 
opening  its  mouth  and  displaying  its  teeth,  it  makes  off 
towards  the  water,  but  with  great  deliberation,  as  when  in  good 
condition  it  is  so  fat  that  its  body  trembles  like  a  mass  of  jelly, 
and  will  furnish  seventy  gallons  of  oil.  This  oil  is  the  prin- 
cipal object  of  the  South  Pacific  seal  fisheries ;  but  the  skin 
of  this  seal  is  also  very  valuable  for  its  strength,  and  is  used  in 
making  harness.  The  seal  skin  is  often  used  as  fur. 

It  is  a  migratory  animal  and  changes  its  residence  several 
times  in  the  year,  the  first  migration  taking  place  in  June. 

There  are  many  seals  known,  among  which  are  the  Sea 
Leopard,  a  spotted  species ;  the  Harp  Seal,  so  called  from  the 
markings  on  its  back  something  resembling  a  lyre ;  and  the 
Sea  Lion. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  c.  Trichecina. 
TEICHICUS.— (Gr.  Qpl%,  Hair;  fyu,  I  have.) 


Sosmzirus  (Lat.  Rosemary},  the  Walrus,  or  Morse. 

The  WALRUS  inhabits  the  northern  seas,  but  has  been 
known  to  visit  our  coasts.  Three  instances  of  this  have 
happened,  one  in  1817,  one  in  1825  at  the  Orkney  Isles,  and 
a  third  in  1839  at  the  mouth  of  the  Severn.  The  most 
remarkable  point  in  the  Walrus  is  the  great  length  of  two  of 
its  upper  teeth,  which  extend  downwards  for  nearly  two  feet, 
and  resemble  the  tusks  of  the  elephant.  They  furnish  very 
fine  ivory,  and  are  extensively  used  by  dentists  in  making 
artificial  teeth,  as  teeth  made  from  them  remain  white  much 
longer  than  those  made  from  the  tusks  of  elephants.  These 
tusks  are  used  by  the  Walrus  for  climbing  the  rocks  or  heaps 
of  ice,  and  also  for  digging  up  the  sea-weeds  on  which  the 
animal  mostly  subsists.  It  will  also  eat  shrimps  and  young 
seals. 

The  Walrus  is  often  hunted  for  the  sake  of  its  oil,  its  flesh, 
its  skin,  and  its  teeth.  It  is  generally  found  in  troops,  and 
if  one  is  wounded,  its  companions  rush  to  its  rescue  and 
attack  the  enemy  with  their  sharp  tusks,  which  they  have 
been  known  to  drive  through  the  bottom  of  a  boat.  Their 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  91 

skin  is  so  strong  and  slippery  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  drive 
the  harpoon  through  it,  and  even  a  sharp  weapon  frequently 
glides  off  without  injuring  the  animal.  The  great  enemy  of 
the  walrus  is  the  polar  bear,  who  does  not  always  venture  on  an 
open  battle,  as  when  a  combat  takes  place,  the  walrus  defends 
himself  most  vigorously  with  his  curved  tusks  and  often 
inflicts  fearful  gashes  on  the  bear,  forcing  it  to  abandon  the 
contest. 

The  head  of  this  animal  is  very  small  in  proportion  to  the 
remainder  of  its  body,  and  often  deceives  people  as  to  its 
size,  which  is  difficult  to  ascertain  without  examination.  The 
stufled  specimen  in  the  British  Museum,  although  in  bad 
preservation,  will  give  a  tolerable  idea  of  the  animal.  The 
expression  of  its  countenance  is  very  ferocious,  principally  on 
account  of  the  enormous  size  of  the  upper  lip  and  the  thick 
bristles  with  which  it  is  covered.  The  length  of  the  Walrus 
is  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  feet,  and  it  yields  from  twenty  to 
thirty  gallons  of  excellent  oil 


Order  III.  .  .  CETE. — (Gr.  K^rof,  a  Whale,  or  sea  monster.) 
Family  I.  ...  Balaenidse.— (Gr.  BaAatvo,a  Whale.     Whale  kind.) 

THE   WHALE. 

THE  CETACEA,  or  WHALE  tribe,  closely  resemble  the  fishes, 
and  have  often  been  placed  among  these  animals  by  natu- 
ralists. They,  however,  are  distinguished  by  possessing  warm 
blood,  and  in  consequence,  being  forced  to  rise  at  intervals  in 
order  to  breathe  the  air,  instead  of  separating  from  the  water, 
by  means  of  their  gills,  sufficient  air  for  supporting  life. 

The  great  Greenland  Whale  is  found  in  the  Northern 
Oceans,  living  amid  ice  and  perpetual  cold.  Many  ships  are 
annually  fitted  out  for  the  capture  of  this  creature,  which, 
unhappily  for  itself,  furnishes  oil  and  whalebone.  The  oil 
is  obtained  from  the  thick  layer  of  fatty  substance  called 
blubber,  which  lies  immediately  under  the  skin ;  and  the 
whalebone — which,  by  the  way,  is  not  bone  at  all — is  obtained 
from  the  interior  of  the  mouth,  where  it  fringes  the  jaws  and 


92  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

acts  as  a  sieve  for  the  Whale  to  strain  his  food  through.  The 
throat  of  the  Greenland  Whale  is  very  small  indeed,  and  its 
food  consists  of  a  little  creature  ahout  an  inch  and  a  half 
long,  called  Clio  borealis.  The  Whale,  when  it  wishes  to 
feed,  rushes  through  the  water  with  its  immense  jaws  wide 
open,  enclosing  a  host  of  little  sea  animals,  and  a  few  hogs- 
heads of  water.  As  the  Whale  only  wants  the  animals,  and 
not  the  water,  it  shuts  its  mouth,  and  drives  all  the  water  out 


Mysticetus  (Gr.  Mvara^,  a  moustache ;  KT/TOC,  a  sea  monster),  the  Whalt. 

through  the  fringes  of  whalehone,  leaving  the  little  creatures 
in  its  jaws.  The  sailors,  who  always  use  forcible  expressions, 
say  that  a  penny  loaf  would  choke  a  whale. 

For  the  capture  of  this  animal,  a  number  of  ships  leave 
England,  France,  and  other  countries,  reaching  the  Polar 
Seas  about  the  end  of  April.  When  arrived  at  their  destina- 
tion, a  careful  look-out  is  kept  from  the  mast-head  for  "  fish," 


NATURAL  HISTORY.     '  03 

which  are  usually  first  observed  by  the  column  of  steam  and 
water  that  the  whale  sends  into  the  air  from  its  nostrils. 
At  the  welcome  sound  "  There  she  blows,"  the  whole  crew 
starts  into  activity;  the  boats,  which  are  always  kept  hang- 
ing over  the  side  of  the  ship,  furnished  ready  for  action, 
are  instantly  manned  and  lowered  into  the  water,  and  the 
boat  springs  oft'  in  chase  of  the  whale.  The  harpooner,  whose 
station  is  in  the  bow,  examines  his  implements  carefully,  tries 
the  edge  of  the  harpoon,  and  sees  that  the  rope  is  properly 
coiled,  as  an  entanglement  would  probably  upset  the  boat,  or 
even  drag  it  below  water.  It  will  be  as  well  just  to  notice 
the  different  weapons  used  in  the  whale-fishery.  The  first 
and  most  important  is  the  harpoon,  a  kind  of  spear  with  a 
large  barbed  head,  the  shape  of  which  is  not  very  unlike  the 
flukes  of  an  anchor.  The  edges  of  the  barbs  are  kept  very 
sharp,  as  otherwise  the  harpoon  would  not  penetrate  beyond 
the  blubber,  and  the  whale  would  consequently  escape.  The 
head  of  the  harpoon  is  not  made  of  steel,  as  most  would 
imagine,  but  of  soft  iron,  so  soft  that  it  can  be  scraped  to  an 
edge  with  a  knife.  This  is  fixed  to  a  wooden  handle,  by 
which  the  harpooner  holds  it.  In  some  vessels  the  harpoon 
is  fired  at  the  whale  from  a  small  cannon  placed  in  the  bow 
of  the  boat.  There  are  some  very  ingenious  harpoons  in  the 
United  Service  Museum,  one  of  which,  intended  to  be  fired 
from  a  gun,  has  its  barbs  joined  to  the  head  by  a  hinge,  and 
held  apart  with  a  spring,  so  that  when  a  whale  is  struck  the 
barbs  collapse  until  the  force  of  the  blow  is  expended,  when 
the  spring  expands  them  and  holds  the  whale  firmly.  The 
common  harpoon,  however,  is  the  weapon  usually  employed. 

To  the  harpoon  is  fastened  a  long  and  very  tough  line, 
about  4,000  feet  in  length.  This  line  is  coiled  up  at  the 
head  of  the  boat,  and  great  care  is  taken  to  prevent  it  from 
being  entangled.  It  runs  over  a  kind  of  pully,  as  the  friction 
is  so  great  when  the  alarmed  whale  starts  off,  that  the  rope 
when  out  of  its  place  has  repeatedly  set  the  gunwale  of  the 
boat  on  fire.  A  bucket  of  water  is  therefore  always  kept  at 
hand  to  throw  on  the  rope.  At  Deptford,  some  years  back, 
might  be  seen  a  boat,  the  head  of  which  had  been  quite  cut 
off  by  the  rope.  When  a  whale  is  struck  it  sometimes  runs 
out  with  the  whole  of  the  line,  in  which  case  the  line  of 


94  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

another  boat  is  fastened  to  it,  and  sometimes  a  whale  has 
carried  off  three  miles  of  line  with  it. 

The  use  of  the  harpoon  is  merely  to  hold  the  whale ;  it 
does  not  enter  deep,  and  causes  the  animal  but  little  incon- 
venience, as  a  whale  has  often  broken  its  line  and  escaped 
with  the  harpoon  sticking  in  its  back,  and  been  afterwards 
recaptured,  apparently  none  the  worse  for  its  adventure.  In 
order  to  kill  the  whale  the  fishermen  have  another  weapon, 
called  a  "  lance."  This  is  a  long,  slender,  steel  weapon,  with 
a  very  sharp  head,  without  barbs,  as  the  men  have  to  with- 
draw the  lance  as  fast  as  they  can  after  it  has  pierced  a  vital 
part.  With  these  few  and  simple  weapons  the  fishers  contrive 
to  secure  the  monster  of  the  waters — a  beautiful  instance  of 
the  superiority  of  reason  over  brute  strength  ;  for  as  the  expert 
angler  secures  a  large  and  strong  fish  with  a  single  hair,  utterly 
inadequate  to  bear  half  the  weight  of  the  creature  it  holds,  so 
the  whale-fisher,  with  a  few  small  weapons,  achieves  a  task 
which  may  be  compared  to  a  mouse  attacking  and  killing  a 
wolf  with  a  reel  of  thread  and  a  crochet  needle. 

The  boats  always  approach  the  whale  from  behind,  lest 
the  expected  prey  should  see  them  and  escape.  When  within 
a  few  yards  the  harpooner  throws  his  weapon  at  the  whale, 
so  as  to  pierce  through  the  mass  of  blubber,  and  hold  fast  in 
the  flesh.  The  wounded  animal  instantly  dashes  off;  taking 
the  line  with  it.  When  it  has  been  under  water  for  some 
time,  it  is  forced  to  come  to  the  surface  to  breathe.  The 
fishers  mark  the  place  where  it  rises,  and  thrust  their  long 
lances  deep  into  its  body,  inflicting  mortal  wounds.  Blood 
mixed  with  water  is  now  discharged  from  the  whale's  nostrils 
or  "  blow-holes,"  a  sure  sign  that  it  will  soon  die.  Presently 
streams  of  blood  are  thrown  up,  colouring  the  sea  and  fre- 
quently drenching  the  crews  of  the  boats,  and  after  a  few 
violent  struggles  the  whale  turns  over  on  its  side  and  dies. 

The  enormous  carcass  is  now  joyously  towed  to  the  ship, 
and  preparations  are  made  for  "flensing,"  or  cutting  off' the 
useful  parts.  Strong  ropes  are  attached  to  the  head  and  tail, 
and  men  wearing  shoes  armed  with  spikes,  to  prevent  slipping, 
commence  the  process  by  fastening  ropes  to  its  head  and  tail. 
A  strong  hook  is  then  fixed  into  the  fat  near  the  neck,  called 
the  "kent,"  as  it  is  used  for  "  kenting,"  or  turning  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  95 

whale  over.  In  this  hook  is  fastened  a  rope,  passing  through 
a  pulley  at  the  mainmast  head,  and  fixed  to  a  windlass  on 
deck.  The  blubber  is  then  taken  off  the  upper  side  by 
"  blubber  spades."  The  blocks  of  blubber,  called  "  slips," 
are  then  hauled  up  on  deck  by  means  of  ropes  called  "  speck 
tackles,"  speck  being  the  German  word  for  fat  or  bacon. 
When  the  blubber  is  all  stripped  from  the  upper  side,  the 
men  turn  the  whale  partly  round  by  hauling  at  the  rope 
fastened  to  the  "  kent."  They  then  cut  out  the  whalebone 
with  knives  made  for  that  purpose.  Lastly,  the  "  kent" 
itself  is  stripped  off,  and  the  whale  left  to  the  sharks  and 
gulls,  who  have  been  helping  themselves  very  liberally  while 
the  flensing  was  going  on.  The  shovel-nosed  shark  sometimes 
scoops  out  semicircular  pieces  as  large  as  a  man's  head. 

When  the  crew  have  time,  the  blubber,  which  has  been 
stowed  away  in  a  place  with  a  not  very  polished  name,  is 
"made  off,"  that  is,  carefully  stripped  of  the  pieces  of  skin 
and.  muscle  adhering  to  it,  cut  into  moderately  sized  pieces, 
and  packed  in  casks  until  wanted.  The  oil  is  extracted  by 
boiling  the  blubber  in  large  coppers ;  a  most  unsavoury 
occupation,  but  a  very  pleasant  one  to  the  crew,  if  they  take 
that  duty  upon  themselves.  The  refuse  blubber  is  used  as 
fuel,  so  that  there  is  no  waste. 

It  is  curious  to  see  how  one  whale  will  yield  to  a  single 
harpoon  loosely  fixed,  while  another  will  break  away  and 
escape  with  five  or  six  in  his  back,  and  two  miles  or  so  of  rope 
trailing  behind  it.  Some  instances  have  been  related  of  whales 
being  killed  without  being  struck  at  all.  Scoresby  tells  us 
that  after  a  boat  had  killed  a  whale,  it  sunk  as  whales 
sometimes  will  do.  While  they  were  hauling  it  up,  the  line 
sometimes  pulled,  and  sometimes  came  in  easily.  At  last 
they  drew  up  a'  whale  with  a  coil  of  the  rope  round  it, 
which  they  naturally  thought  to  be  the  animal  struck  by 
them.  After  disentangling  it  they  found  to  their  surprise 
that  the  line  still  descended  into  the  sea,  and  dragged  as  if 
there  was  a  weight  at  its  end ;  and  so  there  was,  for  they 
found  their  harpooned  whale  still  fixed  to  the  weapon,  and 
discovered  that  the  other  unfortunate  animal  had  contrived 
to  entangle  itself  in  the  line,  and  been  drowned.  "  A  whale 
was  struck  from  one  of  the  boats  of  the  ship  Nautilus,  in 


96  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Davis'  Straits.  It  was  killed,  and  as  is  usual  after  the 
capture,  it  was  disentangled  from  the  line  connected  with  the 
first  'fast  boat'  (the  first  boat  which  had  struck  it),  by 
dividing  it  at  the  splice  of  the  foreganger  (the  part  of  the 
rope  fastened  to  the  harpoon),  within  eight  or  nine  yards  of 
the  harpoon.  The  crew  of  the  boat  from  which  the  '  fish' 
was  first  struck,  in  the  meantime  were  employed  in  heaving 
in  the  lines  by  means  of  a  winch  fixed  in  the  boat  for  the 
purpose.  On  a  sudden,  however,  to  their  great  astonishment, 
the  lines  were  pulled  away  from  them  with  the  same  force 
and  violence  as  by  a  whale  when  first  struck.  They  repeated 
their  signal  indication  of  a  whale  being  struck ;  their  ship- 
mates flocked  towards  them,  and  while  every  one  expressed 
a  similar  degree  of  astonishment  with  themselves,  they  all 
agreed  that  a  '  fish'  was  fast  to  the  line.  In  a  few  minutes 
they  were  agreeably  confirmed  in  their  opinion  by  the  rising 
of  a  large  whale  close  by  them,  exhausted  with  fatigue,  and 
having  every  appearance  of  a  '  fast  fish.'  It  permitted 
itself  to  be  struck  by  several  harpoons  at  once,  and  was 
speedily  killed.  On  examining  it  after  death,  they  found  the 
line  belonging  to  the  boat  in  its  mouth,  where  it  was  still 
firmly  fixed  by  the  compression  of  its  lips.  The  occasion  of 
this  happy  and  puzzling  incident  was  therefore  solved.  The 
end  of  the  line,  after  being  cut,  was  sinking  in  the  water — the 
'  fish'  in  question,  engaged  in  feeding,  was  advancing  with 
its  mouth  wide  open,  and  accidentally  caught  the  line  between 
its  extended  jaws — a  sensation  so  utterly  unusual  as  that  pro- 
duced by  the  line,  had  induced  it  to  shut  its  mouth  and  grasp 
the  rope  which  was  the  cause  of  its  alarm  so  firmly  between 
its  lips  as  to  produce  the  effect  just  stated.  This  circum- 
stance took  place  many  years  ago,  but  a  similar  one  occurred 
in  the  year  1814."* 

The  dangers  undergone  in  this  pursuit  are  very  great. 
Sometimes  the  boat  is  dashed  to  pieces  by  a  blow  from  the  tail  of 
the  enraged  whale ;  sometimes  the  crew  are  left  on  the  ice  for 
many  hours,  wet  and  frozen ;  sometimes  the  ice-fields  strike 
together,  and  crush  the  ship  between  them,  although  the 
vessel  is  strengthened  in  every  possible  way  by  cross-beams 
and  treble  sheating ;  sometimes  a  fog  comes  on  and  the  boat 

*  Scoresby's  Arctic  Regions,  vol.  ii.  p.  264. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  97 

and  ship  are  separated,  neither  having  any  means  of  knowing 
where  the  other  lies,  for  sound  is  much  impeded  by  fog,  and 
even  cannon  are  not  heard  when  fired  comparatively  close. 

The  Whale  shows  great  attachment  to  its  young,  which  is 
called  the  cub,  and  on  the  approach  of  danger,  seizes  it  with 
its  fin  or  flipper,  and  carries  it  down  out  of  danger.  The  Whale 
has  no  fins,  properly  so  called,  as  it  is  not  a  fish.  Its  flippers, 
which  supply  the  place  of  fins,  are  in  fact  fore-legs,  furnished 
with  a  kind  of  hand  covered  with  a  thick  skin.  They  seem 
to  be  principally  employed  in  balancing  the  animal.  The 
hind-legs  are  concealed  under  the  skin,  as  are  those  of  the 
boa  constrictor.  The  length  of  this  Whale  averages  sixty  feet. 
Its  tail  is  placed  transversely,  and  not  vertically,  as  in  the 
fishes. 


FLIPPER  OF  THE  WHALE. 


THE    CACHALOT. 

The  chase  of  the  CACHALOT  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
Greenland  whale,  and  need  not  be  described.  It  is  attended 
with  more  danger,  as  the  terrific  row  of  teeth  with  which 
the  lower  jaw  of  the  Cachalot  is  armed,  is  not  unfrequently 
employed  in  biting  the  boat.  In  the  Ashmolean  Museum  at 
Oxford  is  an  under  jaw-bone  of  this  whale,  sixteen  and  a  half 
feet  in  length,  containing  forty-eight  huge  teeth.  Besides 
this  method  of  defence,  it  has  a  very  unpleasant  habit  of 
E 


98 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 


swimming  off  to  a  distance,  and  then  rushing  at  the  boat 
with  its  head,  thereby  knocking  it  to  pieces.  One  of  these 
whales  actually  sank  a  ship  by  three  or  four  blows  from  its 
head. 

PiiYSETEB. — (Gr.  QvatjTTJp,  a  blow-pipe,  or  bellows.) 


Macroeephalus  (Gr.  Ma/cp6f,  large ;  /ce0aX??,  a  head),  the  Cachalot,  or 
Spermaceti  Whale. 

Spermaceti  is  obtained  from  the  head  of  the  Cachalot,  and 
it  is  this  substance  that  causes  the  immense  size  of  the  head. 
When  the  whale  is  killed,  a  hole  is  made  in  the  upper  part 
of  the  head,  and  the  spermaceti  is  baled  out  with  buckets. 
When  just  procured  it  is  almost  fluid,  but  is  rendered  solid 
and  transparent  by  being  first  drained  of  its  oil,  then  boiled 
in  water,  and  lastly  set  to  cool  in  wide  pans,  where  it  soon 
assumes  the  white  flaky  appearance  so  well  known  in  this 
country.  The  layer  of  blubber  is  thin,  but  yields  a  fine  and 
valuable  oil. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  99 

Ambergris,  BO  long  a  riddle  to  all  inquirers,  is  now  found  to 
be  produced  in  the  interior  of  the  Cachalot.  This  substance  is 
of  the  consistency  of  wax,  inflammable,  arid  gives  out  a  kind 
of  musky  odour.  It  was  once  in  great  repute  as  a  medicine, 
but  is  now  only  used  as  a  perfume. 

The  Cachalot,  although  an  inhabitant  of  the  arctic  seas,  has 
sometimes  been  found  arid  captured  off  our  coasts.  The  length 
of  this  whale  is  about  seventy  feet. 


JAW  OF  GREENLAND  WHALE. 


Family  II.  Delphimdse. — (Gr.  AeA^'f,  a  Dolphin.    Dolphin  kind.) 
DELPHINUS. — (Lat.  a  Dolphin.) 


Delphis,  the  Dolphin. 

Those  readers  who  have  formed  their  ideas  of  Dolphins 
from  the  very  graceful  and  elegant  creatures  represented 
under  that  name  in  the  pictures  of  the  "  old  masters"  or  the 
statues  of  the  ancient  sculptors,  will  find  that  the  real  animal 
differs  as  much  from  the  ideal,  as  the  red  and  green  lions 
wearing  golden  collars,  represented  in  heraldry,  differ  from  the 
lion  of  Africa.  Sad  to  say,  almost  the  whole  history  of  the 
Dolphin  is  imaginary — very  poetical,  but  very  untrue.  The 


100  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

red  and  blue  colours  of  the  heraldic  lion  are  not  less  fabulous 
than  the  changing  tints  of  the  dying  dolphin  so  dear  to  poetry. 
Alas  !  our  unpoetical  Dolphin,  when  we  have  harpooned  and 
brought  him  on  deck,  is  only  black  and  white,  and  all  the 
change  that  he  makes,  is  that  the  black  becomes  brown  in 
time,  and  the  white  grey. 

We  will  leave  poetry  and  its  beautiful  errors,  and  pass  on  to 
facts.  The  Dolphin  is,  like  the  whale,  a  warm-blooded  animal, 
suckles  its  young,  and  is  forced  to  come  to  the  surface  in  order 
to  breathe.  Its  snout  is  very  long,  and  is  apparently  used  for 
capturing  such  fish,  &c.  as  live  in  the  mud. 

The  length  is  from  six  to  ten  feet.  Several  species  of  Dol- 
phin are  known,  of  which  the  British  Museum  possesses  six. 


PHOC^ENA. — (Gr.  ^uKaiva,  &  Porpoise.) 


Communis  (Lat.  common),  the  Porpoise. 

These  animals  may  be  observed  in  plenty  playing  their  ab- 
surd antics  off  every  coast  of  England.  There  are  numbers  of 
them  off  the  Nore,  a  place  which  they  frequent  greatly,  as  it  is 
at  the  mouth  of  a  river,  and  they  find  more  food  there  than  in 
the  open  sea.  They  tumble  at  the  surface  of  the  water  for 
the  purpose  of  breathing. 

In  the  olden  times,  when  glass  windows  were  considered 
an  effeminate  luxury,  and  rushes  supplied  the  place  of  carpets, 
the  flesh  of  the  PORPOISE  constituted  one  of  the  standard 
delicacies  of  a  public  feast,  but  it  has  long  since  been  deposed 
from  its  rank  at  the  table.  Like  most  of  the  cetacea,  its  flesh 
has  a  very  strong  oily  flavour,  which,  however  relished  by  an 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  101 

Esquimaux,  is  not  agreeable  to  the  palate  of  an  English 
epicure  of  the  present  day. 

The  voracity  of  the  Porpoise  is  very  great.  It  feeds  on 
various  fishes,  but  its  great  feasts  are  held  when  the  periodical 
shoals  of  herrings,  pilchards,  and  other  fish  arrive  on  the 
coasts.  In  the  pursuit  of  its  prey,  it  frequently  ventures 
some  distance  up  a  river,  and  is  then  often  taken  in  nets  by 
the  fishermen. 

The  teeth  of  this  animal  are  very  numerous,  and  interlock 
when  the  jaws  are  closed,  so  that  the  fish  when  once  seized 
cannot  escape.  Its  length  is  about  five  feet,  its  colour  a  rich 
black  ;  becoming  white  on  the  under  side. 


THE    NARWHAL. 

Although  the  NARWHAL  has  not  suffered  from  false  reports 
so  much  as  many  other  animals,  yet  it  has  unwittingly  con- 
tributed to  propagate  a  very  old  error.  The  spiral  tusk  of 
the  Narwhal  was  accustomed  to  be  sold  as  the  real  horn  of 
the  unicorn  ;  and  as  an  accredited  part  of  that  animal,  forming 
direct  proof  of  its  existence,  it  used  to  fetch  a  very  high  price. 
Of  course,  when  the  whale  fishery  was  established,  the  real 
owner  of  the  horn  was  discovered,  and  the  unicorn  left  still 
enveloped  in  mystery. 

The  name  Monodon  is  not  strictly  correct,  as  the  Narwhal 
possesses  two  of  these  tusks,  one  on  each  side  of  its  head. 
Only  the  left  tusk  projects,  the  other  remaining  within  the 
head.  Sometimes  a  specimen  has  been  found  with  both  tusks 
projecting,  and  some  think  that  when  the  left  tusk  has  been 
broken  off  by  accident,  the  right  one  becomes  large  enough  to 
supply  its  place. 

The  use  of  these  tusks  is  not  known ;  some  supposing  that 
they  are  employed  to  dig  up  sea- weeds,  &c.,  on  which  the 
Narwhal  feeds,  and  some  imagining  that  the  living  prey  is 
first  transfixed  and  then  eaten.  Be  this  as  it  may,  as  a 
weapon  the  tusk  is  not  to  be  despised,  as  the  strength  and 
rapidity  of  the  Narwhal  are  very  great.  Instances  are  on 
record,  of  the  thick  oak  timbers  of  a  ship  being  pierced  by  the 


102 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


ivory  tusk  of  this  creature.  The  Greenlanders  employ  this 
ivory  in  the  manufacture  of  spears,  arrows,  hooks,  &c.  They 
take  the  Narwhal  by  a  kind  of  harpoon  attached  to  a  line, 
with  a  buoy  at  its  extremity.  The  use  of  the  buoy  is  to 
harass  and  retard  the  Narwhal  when  struck,  and  to  give 
notice  when  it  is  about  to  rise.  Immediately  that  it  reaches 
the  surface,  a  lance  is  thrust  into  it,  which  generally  proves 

MONODON. — (Gr.  Mwof,  solitary ;  66ovf,  or  6Suv,  a  tooth.) 


Monoceros  (Gr.  Mwof — /cepaf,  a  horn),  the  Narwhal. 

its  death-blow.  The  adventurous  Greenlander  find  it  a  most 
welcome  prey,  as  he  obtains  from  it  oil,  food,  weapons,  and 
ropes. 

Although  an  inhabitant  of  the  northern  seas,  it  has  several 
times  visited  our  coasts.  Its  body  is  from  thirty  to  forty  feet 
in  length,  and  its  tusk  from  five  to  nine. 

The  Manatees  and  Dugong  omitted. 


NATURAL   HISTORY  103 

Order  IV. ...   GLIRJSS.—(L&t.  Glis,  a  Dormouse.) 

Family  I Muridse.—  (Gr.  Miif,  a  Mouse.      Mouse  kind.) 

Sub-family  a.  Murina. 


Decutuaiius  (Lat.  tenth  or  large),  the  Rat. 

WE  now  arrive  at  the  Rodentia,  or  gnawing  animals,  so 
called  from  their  habit  of  gnawing  through,  or  paring  away, 
the  substances  on  which  they  feed.  For  this  purpose  their 
teeth  are  admirably  formed,  and  by  these  teeth  it  is  always 
easy  to  ascertain  a  member  of  the  Rodents.  They  have  none 
of  those  sharp  teeth  called  canine,  such  as  are  seen  in  the  lions 
and  in  those  animals  which  seize  and  destroy  living  animals, 
but  in  the  front  of  each  jaw  there  are  two  long  flat  teeth, 
slightly  curved,  and  having  a  kind  of  chisel  edge  for  rasping 
away  wood,  or  other  articles.  The  constant  labour  which 
these  teeth  (called  incisors,  from  the  Latin  word,  incido, 
I  cut)  undergo,  would  rapidly  wear  them  away.  To  coun- 
teract this  loss,  the  teeth  are  constantly  growing,  and  being 
pushed  forward,  so  that  as  fast  as  the  upper  part  is  worn 
away,  the  tooth  is  replenished  from  below.  So  constant  is  this 
increase,  that  when  an  unfortunate  rabbit,  or  rather  rodent, 
has  lost  one  of  its  incisors,  the  opposite  one,  meeting  nothing  to 
stop  its  progress,  continually  grows,  until  sometimes  the  tooth 
curls  upwards  over  the  lips,  and  prevents  the  wretched  animal 
from  eating.  An 'example  of  this  preternatural  growth  may 
be  seen  in  the  vignette  under  the  article  Rabbit.  The  sketch 
was  drawn  from  a  specimen  in  the  Anatomical  Museum  at 
Oxford. 

The  Rodentia  include  the  mice,  beavers,  rabbits,  squirrels, 
and  porcupines. 


104  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  BROWN  RAT,  sometimes  called  the  Norway  Rat,  is  the 
species  usually  found  in  England.  It  was  some  years  since 
imported  into  this  country,  and  from  its  superior  size,  strength, 
and  ferocity,  has  so  completely  established  itself,  and  expelled 
the  original  Black  Rat,  that  it  is  very  difficult  indeed  to  find 
a  Black  Rat  in  any  part  of  England.  Waterton's  sympathies 
are  much  excited  in  favour  of  the  original  rat,  and  his  anger 
is  great  against  the  invader.  He  says  of  the  Brown  Rat : — 

"  Its  rapacity  knows  no  bounds,  while  its  increase  is  pro- 
digious, beyond  all  belief.  But  the  most  singular  part  of  its 
history  is,  that  it  has  nearly  worried  every  individual  of  the 
original  rat  of  Great  Britain.  So  scarce  have  these  last-men- 
tioned animals  become,  that  in  all  my  life  I  have  never  seen 
but  one  single  solitary  specimen.  It  was  sent  some  few  years 
ago,  to  Nostell  Priory,  in  a  cage,  from  Bristol,  and  I  received 
an  invitation  from  Mr.  Arthur  Strickland,  who  was  on  a  visit 
there,  to  go  and  see  it.  Whilst  I  was  looking  at  the  little 
native  prisoner  in  its  cage,  I  could  not  help  exclaiming,  '  Poor 
injured  Briton !  hard,  indeed,  has  been  the  fate  of  thy  family ! 
in  another  generation,  at  furthest,  it  will  probably  sink  down  to 
the  dust  for  ever.  !'  "  * 

The  same  amusing  naturalist,  being  considerably  annoyed  by 
the  depredations  on  his  provisions,  and  the  unceasing  clatter 
that  they  kept  up  behind  the  panels  of  his  sitting-room,  after 
trying  various  plans  to  extirpate  them,  at  last  thought  of  a 
method,  rich  in  the  same  humour  with  which  most  of'  his 
actions  are  tinged,  and  as  efficacious  in  its  operation  as  amusing 
in  its  idea  : — 

"  Having  caught  one  of  them  in  a  box  trap,  I  dipped  its  hinder 
parts  into  warm  tar,  and  then  turned  it  loose  behind  the  hollow 
plinth.  The  others,  seeing  it  in  this  condition,  and  smelling 
the  tar  all  along  the  run  through  which  it  had  gone,  thought 
it  most  prudent  to  take  themselves  off:  and  thus,  for  some 
months  after  this  experiment,  I  could  sit  and  read  in  peace, 
free  from  the  hated  noise  of  rats.  On  moving  the  plinth  at  a 
subsequent  period,  we  found  that  they  had  actually  gnawed 
away  the  corner  of  a  peculiarly  hard-burnt  brick,  which  had 
obstructed  their  thoroughfare." 

*  Waterton's  Essays,  p.  212. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Musculus  (Lat  a  little  mouse,)  the  Mouse. 

"f  he  COMMON  MOUSE  is  so  well  known,  that  a  description  of 
its  form  and  size  is  useless.  It  almost  rivals  the  rat  in  its 
attacks  upon  our  provisions,  and  is  quite  as  difficult  to  extir- 
pate. It  makes  a  kind  of  nest,  where  it  brings  up  its  young. 
When  a  board  of  long  standing  is  taken  up  in  a  room,  it  is  not 
uncommon  to  find  under  it  a  mouse's  nest,  composed  of  rags, 
string,  paper,  shavings,  and  everything  that  the  ingenious  little 
architect  can  scrape  together.  It  is  a  round  mass,  looking 
something  like  a  rag  ball  very  loosely  made.  When  opened, 
seven  or  eight  little  mice  will  probably  be  found  in  the  interior 
— little  pink,  transparent  creatures,  three  of  which  could  go  into 
a  lady's  thimble,  sprawling  about  in  a  most  unmeaning  manner, 
apparently  greatly  distressed  at  the  sudden  cold  caused  by  the 
opening  of  their  nest. 

The  Mouse  is  said  to  be  greatly  susceptible  of  music.  An 
anecdote  is  related  of  a  gentleman  who  was  playing  a  violin 
seeing  a  mouse  run  along  on  the  floor  and  jump  about  as'  if 
distracted.  He  continued  the  strain,  and  after  some  time  the 
mouse,  apparently  exhausted  with  its  exertions,  dropped  dead 
on  the  floor.  An  instance  occurred  to  myself  very  recently, 
similar  in  all  respects  but  that  of  the  death  of  the  little  animal, 
which  only  scampered  back  to  its  hole  when  the  music  ceased. 
We  afterwards  found  that  it  was  a  partially  tamed  one  which 
had  escaped. 

Every  one  has  heard  of  the  fable  of  the  Lion  and  the  Mouse, 
but  from  the  following  account  from  Basil  Hall's  Fragments, 


106  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

we  must  conclude  that,  whatever  the  lion  might  have  done 
under  the  circumstances,  the  tiger  at  all  events  would  not  have 
availed  himself  of  the  proffered  assistance.  He  relates  of  a  tiger 
that  was  kept  in  a  cage"  at  Mysore  : — 

"  But  what  annoyed  him  far  more  than  our  poking  him  up 
with  a  stick,  or  tantalizing  him  with  shins  of  beef  or  legs  of 
mutton,  was  introducing  a  mouse  into  his  cage.  No  fine  lady 
ever  exhibited  more  terror  at  the  sight  of  a  spider  than  this 
magnificent  royal  tiger  betrayed  on  seeing  a  mouse.  Our 
mischievous  plan  was  to  tie  the  little  animal  by  a  string  to  the 
end  of  a  long  pole,  and  thrust  it  close  to  the  tiger's  nose.  The 
moment  he  saw  it,  he  leaped  to  the  opposite  side ;  and  when 
the  mouse  was  made  to  run  near  him,  he  jammed  himself  into 
a  corner,  and  stood  trembling  and  roaring  in  such  an  ecstasy  of 
fear  that  we  were  always  obliged  to  desist  from  sheer  pity 
to  the  poor  brute.  Sometimes  we  insisted  on  his  passing 
over  the  spot  where  the  unconscious  little  mouse  ran  back- 
wards and  forwards.  For  a  long  time  however  we  could  not 
get  him  to  move,  till  at  length,  I  believe  by  the  help  of  a 
squib,  we  obliged  him  to  start ;  but  instead  of  pacing  leisurely 
across  his  den  or  making  a  detour  to  avoid  the  object  of 
his  alarm,  he  generally  took  a  kind  of  flying  leap,  so  high 
as  nearly  to  bring  his  back  in  contact  with  the  roof  of  his 
cage."* 


HAIR  OF  MOUSE. 


A  white  variety  of  mouse  is  tolerably  common,  and  is  usually 
bred  in  cages.  As  it  is  very  tame  and  beautiful,  it  is  in  great 
repute  as  a  pet. 

The  HARVEST  MOUSE,  the  smallest  of  the  British  quadrupeds, 
discovered  and  described  by  White  in  his  "  Selborne,"  is  very 
much  smaller  than  the  ordinary  mouse,  a  halfpenny  weighing 
down  two  of  them  when  placed  in  a  pair  of  scales.  Its  nest 

*  Hall's  Fragments,  part  iii.  page  96. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  107 

is  raised  about  a  foot  and  a  half  from  the  ground,  and  sup- 
ported on.  two  or  three  straws.  It  is  made  of  grass,  about  the 
size  of  a  cricket-ball,  and  very  compact. 

The  FIELD  MOUSE  is  as  great  a  pest  in  the  open  air  as  the 
Common  Mouse  within  a  house.  It  not  only  devours  the 
corn,  but  strips  the  bark  off  young  trees,  doing  great  mischief. 
The  kestrel  or  windhover  hawk  lives  almost  exclusively  on  the 
Field  Mouse,  and  ought  always  to  be  encouraged. 

Several  genera  are  omitted. 


Sub-family  b.  Arvicolina. 


Frumentarius  (Lat,  belonging  to' harvest),  the  Hamster. 

The  HAMSTER  RAT  is  a  native  of  parts  of  Germany.  It  is 
a  terrible  pest  there,  as  it  not  only  devours  the  corn,  &c.  in  the 
summer,  but  lays  up  a  large  store  for  the  winter.  It  is  a  most 
furious  little  animal,  and  will  attack  a  man  or  a  horse  and  even 
a  waggon  wheel  if  it  approaches  too  near  the  spot  which  the 
Hamster  considers  its  own  property.  Rats,  mice,  lizards,  birds, 
and  even  its  weaker  brethren,  are  eaten  by  this  ravenous  little 
animal. 

It  lives  in  holes  underground,  and  to  escape  attack  has 
several  passages  from  its  chamber  leading  in  different  directions. 
The  skin  is  of  some  value,  and  the  hunter  who  spears  it  usually 
opens  its  granary  for  the  sake  of  its  store,  which  is  far  from 
being  inconsiderable,  a  hundredweight  of  beans  having  been 
found  in  one  granary. 


103  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

ARVICOLA. — (Lat.  Arvum,  a  field  ;  colo,  I  inhabit.) 


Amphibius  (Gr.  'A/u0t,  on  both  sides ;  ptou,  I  live),  the  Water-rat. 

The  WATER  RAT  is  a  native  of  England,  and  very  common 
on  the  banks  of  rivers,  brooks,  &c.  It  digs  holes  in  the  bank, 
and  is  reported  to  eat  fish,  frogs,  &c.,  but  this  is  very  doubtful. 
They  exist  in  great  numbers  round  Oxford,  and  I  have  re- 
peatedly watched  them  feeding.  I  never  saw  them  eating  fish, 
nor  found  fish-bones  inside  their  holes,  except  when  a  kingfisher 
has  taken  possession  ;  but  I  have  frequently  seen  them  gnaw- 
ing the  green  bark  from  reeds,  which  they  completely  strip, 
leaving  the  mark  of  each  tooth  as  they  proceed.  I  shot  one 
while  feeding,  and  at  first  thought  that  the  marks  of  its  teeth 
were  caused  by  the  shot,  for  until  that  time  I  had  supposed  that 
the  Water  Rat  fed  on  fish.' 


Sub-family  d.   Castorina. 
THE   BEAVER. 

North  America  is  the  principal  country  where  the  BEAVER 
is  found,  but  it  is  also  common  on  the  Euphrates,  and  along 
some  of  the  larger  European  rivers,  as  the  Rhone  and  the 
Danube.  In  former  years,  when  the  wolf  and  bear  inhabited 
England,  the  Beaver  followed  its  architectural  pursuits  along 
the  rivers ;  but  they  have  not  been  seen  in  this  country  since 
1188. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  109 

The  houses  of  the  Beaver  are  built  of  mud,  stones,  and 
sticks.  They  are  placed  in  a  stream,  and  their  entrance  is 
always  below  the  surface.  As  a  severe  frost  would  freeze  up 
their  doors,  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  stream  deep  enough  to 
prevent  the  frost  from  reaching  the  entrances.  This  is  done 
by  building  a  dam  across  the  river,  to  keep  back  the  water 
until  it  is  sufficiently  deep  for  the  beaver's  purposes.  These 
banks  are  made  of  branches  which  the  Beaver  cuts  down  with 
its  strong  sharp  teeth,  and  of  mud  and  stones.  The  Beavers 
throw  these  branches  into  the  water,  and  sink  them  to  the 
bottom  by  means  of  stones ;  by  continually  throwing  in  fresh 

CASTOR. — (Gr.  Kuarup,  a  Beaver.) 


Fiber  (Lat  a  Beaver),  the  Beaver. 

supplies  a  strong  embankment  is  soon  made.  As  many  Beav- 
ers live  together  in  one  society,  the  formation  of  a  dam  does 
not  take  very  long.  By  their  united  efforts  they  rapidly  fell 
even  large  trees  by  gnawing  them  round  the  trunk,  and  al- 
ways taking  care  to  make  them  fall  towards  the  water,  so  that 
they  can  transport  the  logs  easily.  The  mud  and  stones  used 
in  their  embankments  are  not  carried  on  their  tails,  as  some 
say,  nor  do  the  Beavers  use  their  tails  as  trowels  for  laying 
on  the  mud,  the  fact  being  that  the  stones  and  mud  are  car- 
ried between  their  chin  and  fore-paws,  and  the  mistake  re- 
specting the  tail  is  evidently  caused  by  the  slap  that  Beavers 


110  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

give  with  that  member  when  they  dive.  In  order  that  their 
pond  may  not  be  too  deep,  they  always  leave  an  opening  in 
the  dam  to  let  the  water  escape  when  it  rises  above  a  certain 
height. 

They  cut  most  of  their  wood  in  the  summer,  taking  care  to 
choose  trees  above  their  houses,  so  that  the  stream  floats  them 
down  to  the  place  where  they  wish  to  use  them.  They  also 
lay  up  stores  of  food  for  the  winter,  by  cutting  a  number  of 
green  branches  and  sinking  them  near  the  door  of  their  habita- 
tions, where  they  are  held  firm  by  stones  laid  on  the  summit 
of  the  heap. 

During  the  severe  winter,  their  mud-built  houses  freeze  quite 
hard,  and  prevent  the  wolverine,  their  greatest  enemy  except 
man,  from  breaking  through  and  devouring  the  inmates. 

The  fur  of  the  Beaver  is  exceedingly  valuable,  especially  for 
the  manufacture  of  hats,  and  is  greatly  sought  after.  The 
hunting  season  is  in  whiter,  when  the  beavers  are  quietly  in 
their  houses.  The  hunters,  armed  with  spears,  &c.  break  the 
tops  of  the  houses.  The  alarmed  beavers  instantly  rush  out 
and  pass  under  the  ice  to  certain  hiding-places  in  the  bank. 
The  hunter  then  discovers  the  position  of  the  hole  in  the  bank 
by  the  sound  of  his  spear  struck  against  the  ice ;  he  then 
breaks  a  hole  and  spears  the  animal  in  its  place  of  fancied  se- 
curity. A  substance  called  Castor  was  formerly  obtained 
from  the  Beaver  and  much  used  in  medicine,  but  is  now  dis- 
carded. 

When  in  captivity  the  Beaver  soon  becomes  tame,  and 
will  industriously  build  dams  across  the  corner  of  a  room 
with  brushes,  boots,  fire-irons,  books,  or  any  thing  it  can  find. 
When  its  edifice  is  finished  it  sits  in  the  centre  apparently  sat- 
isfied that  it  has  made  a  beautiful  structure  to  dam  up  the 
river — a  proof  that  the  ingenuity  of  the  Beaver  is  not  caused 
by  reason  but  by  instinct. 

The  fur  of  the  Beaver,  like  that  of  many  other  animals,  con- 
sists of  a  fine  wool  intermixed  with  long  and  stiff  hairs.  The 
hairs  are  useless,  but  the  peculiar  construction  of  the  fur  causes 
it  to  penetrate  and  fix  itself  into  the  felt  which  forms  the  body 
of  a  hat.  The  length  of  the  Beaver  is  about  three  feet  and  a 
half. 

Several  genera  are  omitted.  . 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  Ill 

Family  II Hystricidse. — ("Yarpit;,  a  Porcupine.   Porcupine  kind.) 

Sub-family  a.  Hystricina. 


Cristata  (Lat.  crested),  the  Porcupine. 

The  COMMON  PORCUPINE  is  found  in  Africa,  Tartary,  Persia, 
India,  and  some  parts  of  Europe.  It  lives  in  holes  which  it 
digs  in  the  ground,  and  only  comes  forth  at  night  in  order  to 
feed.  It  eats  vegetable  substances  only,  such  as  roots,  bark, 
&c.  The  array  of  spines  or  quills  with  which  this  animal  is 
covered  forms  its  principal  means  of  defence.  If  it  cannot 
escape,  it  suddenly  stops,  erects  all  its  quills,  and  runs  back- 
wards against  its  adversary,  striking  the  quills  against  him  by 
the  weight  of  its  body.  Occasionally  a  looser  quill  than 
usual  remains  in  the  wound  or  falls  on  the  ground,  which 
evidently  gave  rise  to  the  foolish  error  that  the  Porcupine 
could  dart  its  weapons  at  its  adversary  from  a  distance. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  these  quills, — one  kind  long  and 
curved,  the  other  short,  thick,  and  pointed.  These  last 
are  the  weapons  of  defence,  as  the  former  are  too  slender  to 
do  much  service.  When  the  Porcupine  walks,  its  quills  make 
a  kind  of  rustling  sound,  caused  principally  by  those  arranged 
on  the  tail,  which  are  large,  hollow,  and  supported  on  long 


112  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

slender  stalks.  The  American  Indians  use  the  quills  extracted 
from  the  Canada  Porcupine,  a  species  living  on  trees,  for  orna- 
menting various  parts  of  their  dress,  especially  their  mocassins 
or  skin  shoes.  In  England  the  quills  are  much  used  by  anglers 
for  making  fine  floats.  The  length  of  the  Porcupine  is  about 
two  feet,  and  its  spines  or  quills  are  from  six  to  fourteen  inches 
long. 


Sub-family  c.  Dasyproctina. 
DASTPROCTA. — (Gr.  Aa<rt!f,  rough ;  Trpw/crof,  hind-quarters.) 


Aguti,  the  Agouti. 

The  AGOUTI  lives  in  Brazil,  Guiana  and  Paraguay.  It  is 
about  the  size  of  a  rabbit,  and  like  that  animal  is  generally 
found  in  company.  In  Brazil  and  Guiana,  the  Agouti  is  much 
sought  after  for  the  sake  of  its  flesh,  but  it  appears  that  in  Pa- 
raguay the  flesh  is  not  eaten.  When  pursued,  it  runs  for  a  short 
time  with  much  rapidity,  but  soon  endeavours  to  conceal  itself 
in  a  hole  or  under  the  roots  of  a  tree,  when  it  will  suffer  itself 
to  be  captured  without  any  resistance,  merely  uttering  a  plaint- 
ive cry.  It  feeds  on  vegetables,  especially  yams  and  tubers,  but 
in  the  West  India  Islands  it  devours  the  sugar  canes,  and  is  a 
great  pest  to  the  planters. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  113 

Sub-family  d.  Hydrochcerina. 

r.  'Tdwp,  water;  xa'lPu>  I  rejoice.) 


Capybara,  the  Capybdra, 

The  CAPYBARA  or  CHIGUIRA  is  the  largest  of  all  the  Rodentia. 
At  first  sight  it  looks  very  like  a  pig,  and  its  skin  is  covered 
thinly  with  hairs  like  bristles,  which  add  to  the  resemblance. 

It  inhabits  the  borders  of  lakes  and  rivers  in  many  parts 
of  Southern  America.  During  the  day,  it  hides  among  the 
thick  herbage  of  the  banks,  only  wandering  forth  to  feed  at 
night,  but  when  alarmed,  it  instantly  makes  for  the  water, 
and  escapes  by  diving.  It  is  hunted  for  the  sake  of  its  flesh, 
which  is  said  to  be  remarkably  good.  The  Jaguar  appears  to 
be  of  the  same  opinion,  for  he  is  the  most  terrible  enemy  of 
this  creature,  destroying  immense  numbers.  The  food  of  the 
Capybara  consists  of  grass,  vegetables  and  fruits.  Its  length  is 
about  three  feet  six  inches. 

The  GUINEA-PIG  or  CAVY  belongs  to  the  sub-family  Caviina. 
It  was  originally  brought  from  South  America,  and  is  frequent- 
ly domesticated  in  England.  Its  beauty  is  its  only  recom- 
mendation, as  it  shows  little  intelligence,  and  is  never  used  for 
food.  Children,  however,  and  particularly  schoolboys,  are  fond 
of  keeping  Guinea-pigs,  as  they  are  wonderfully  prolific,  easy  to 
manage,  and  do  not  make  much  noise.  They  are  popularly 
supposed  to  keep  off  rats,  and  are  therefore  usually  patronized 
in  connexion  with  rabbit-hutches. 


NATURAL    HISTORY 


Family  III.  Leporidse. — (Lat.  Lepus,  a  Hare.     Hare  kind.) 


Timidus  (Lat.  timid),  the  Hare. 

The  HARE  is  one  of  our  most  common  quadrupeds.  It  is 
constantly  hunted  both  for  the  sport  and  for  its  flesh.  When 
hunted  with  greyhounds,  the  amusement  is  called  coursing-. 
Beagles  are  also  used,  but  they  do  not  catch  the  Hare  by  speed, 
but  by  patiently  following  its  track,  until  the  wearied  animal  is 
no  longer  capable  of  escaping.  It  comes  under  the  denomina- 
tion of  game,  and  is  protected  by  the  Game  Laws,  as  are  pheas- 
ants and  partridges. 

It  is  exceedingly  like  the  rabbit,  but  its  colour  is  slightly 
different,  and  the  black  spot  on  the  extremity  of  its  ears  is  a 
simple  method  of  distinguishing  it.  The  Hare  does  not  burrow 
like  the  rabbit,  but  makes  a  kind  of  nest  of  grass  and  other 
materials.  In  this  nest,  called  a  "  form,"  the  Hare  lies,  and 
trusting  to  its  concealment  will  often  remain  quiet  until  the 
foot  of  an  intruder  almost  touches  it.  Many  people  can  distin- 
guish it  by  the  sparkle  of  its  eye. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  115 

Innumerable  foes  besides  man  surround  this  animal. — 
Foxes,  ferrets,  stoats,  and  all  their  tribe  are  unmerciful  ene- 
mies, and  sometimes  a  large  hawk  will  destroy  a  leveret,  as 
the  young  Hare  is  called.  Although  destitute  of  all  means 
of  defence,  it  is  often  enabled  to  escape  by  the  quickness  of 
its  hearing  and  sight,  which  give  it  timely  warning  of  the 
approach  of  an  enemy,  and  enable  it  to  escape  to  a  place  of 
safety. 

In  cold  countries,  the  Hare  changes  its  fur  during  winter, 
and  becomes  white,  like  the  Arctic  fox  and  the  ermine.  The 
Alpine  Hare,  inhabiting  the  northern  parts  of  Scotland,  is  a 
good  example  of  this  change. 


Cuniculus  (Lat  a  little  Rabbit). 

The  well  known  RABBIT  is  rather  smaller  than  the  hare, 
but  closely  resembles  it  in  form.  It  lives  in  deep  holes,  which 
it  digs  in  the  ground.  "When  a  number  of  these  holes  or 
burrows  occur  near  each  other,  the  place  is  called  a  warren. 
A  loose  dry  soil,  such  as  the  soft  red  sandstone,  is  the  delight 
of  these  animals,  who  may  be  seen  frisking  about  in  great 
numbers  outside  their  holes,  but  diving  in  on  the  slightest 
alarm.  Poachers  often  take  them  in  great  numbers  by 
spreading  nets  over  the  mouth  of  the  holes,  and  sending  a 
ferret  carefully  muzzled  down  one  of  the  burrows.  The 
terrified  rabbits  rush  out  at  the  sight  of  their  dreaded  enemy, 
and  are  caught  in  the  nets.  If  the  ferret  were  not  muzzled, 


116  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

it  would  kill  the  first  rabbit  it  caught,  and  remain  in  the  hole, 

sucking  the  blood  of  its  victim. 

The  female  Rabbit  forms  a  soft  nest  at  the  bottom  of  her 

burrow,  composed  of  fur  torn  from  her  body,  of  hay  and  dried 

leaves.       Here   the   young   rabbits   are   kept   until  they  are 

strong  enough  to  shift  for  themselves  and  make  their  own 

burrows. 

The  tame  Rabbit  is  only  a  variety, 
rendered  larger  by  careful  feeding  and 
attendance.  There  are  many  breeds 
of  domestic  rabbits,  some,  as  the  fancy 
or  lop-eared  rabbits,  being  often  of  con- 
siderable value,  thirty  guineas  having 
OVER-GROWN  TEETH  OF  been  refused  for  a  particularly  fine  one. 
When  tame  rabbits  are  suffered  to  go 

free,  they  speedily  return  to  their  wild  habits  and  instincts 


Family  IV.  .  .  Jerboidse. — (Jerboa  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Chinchillina. 

CHINCHILLA. 


Laniger  (Lat.  •wool-bearing),  the  Chinchilla. 

This  pretty  little  animal  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  valleys  in 
the  mountain  districts  of  South  America.  In  such  situations 
the  cold  is  often  very  intense ;  but  the  long  soft  fur  of  the 
CHINCHILLA  forms  an  effectual  protection  against  the  frosts. 
The  fur  is  extensively  used  for  clothing,  and  celebrated  for  its 

*  From  the  Anatomical  Museum,  Oxford. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  117 

soft  and  warm  texture.  Numbers  of  these  animals  are 
anually  destroyed  for  the  sake  of  their  skins.  Coquimbo 
appears  to  be  the  place  where  they  are  taken  in  the  greatest 
numbers. 

The  Chinchilla  lives  in  society  like  the  rabbit,  and  resides 
in  burrows  dug  in  the  ground.  Its  food  is  entirely  vegetable, 
and  principally  consists  of  bulbous  roots.  In  captivity  it  is 
quiet  and  inoffensive,  but  seems  to  betray  no  particular 
attachment  to  its  keeper ;  neither  does  it  seem  playful.  Its 
tail,  covered  with  long  bushy  hairs,  is  usually  held  turned  up 
over  its  back,  like  that  of  the  squirrel,  and  probably  for  the 
same  reason. 

From  the  various  specimens  of  fur  sent  to  this  country  it 
would  appear  that  there  are  two  species  of  Chinchilla,  but  it 
is  not  quite  certain.  The  length  of  the  Chinchilla  is  about 
nine  inches,  exclusive  of  its  tail,  which  measures'  about  five. 


Sub-family  c.  Dipina. 
DIPUS.— (Gr.  Atf,  double ;  irovg,  a  foot) 


./Egyptius  (Lat.  belonging  to  Egypt),  the  Jerboa. 

The  JERBOAS  are  celebrated  for  their  powers  of  leaping. 
Their  long  hind-legs  enable  them  to  take  enormous  springs, 


118  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

during  which  their  tails  serve  to  balance  them.  Indeed,  a 
Jerboa,  when  deprived  of  its  tail,  is  afraid  to  leap.  At  first 
sight  the  Jerboa  seems  to  alight  on  its  hind-feet,  as  well  as 
spring  from  them,  but  the  fact  is,  that  it  alights  on  its  fore- 
feet and  draws  up  the  hind  legs  ready  for  the  next  leap 
with  such  rapidity  that  the  eye  can  scarcely  follow  the  move- 
ment. 

In  the  history  of  the  polar  bear  it  was  mentioned  that  its 
feet  were  prevented  from  slipping  on  the  ice  by  a  coating  of 
thick  hair.  The  foot  of  the  Jerboa  is  defended  by  long 
bristly  hairs,  which  not  only  give  the  creature  a  firm  hold  of 
the  ground  fat  its  spring,  but  also  defend  the  foot  from  the 
burning  soil. 

The  timidity  of  the  Jerboa  is  very  great,  and  on  the 
slightest  alarm  it  instantly  rushes  to  its  burrow,  but  if  inter- 
cepted, skims  "a  way  over  the  plain  with  such  rapidity  that  it 
seems  to  fly,  and  when  at  full  speed  a  swift  greyhound  can 
scarcely  overtake  it. 

Grain  and  bulbous  roots  are  its  chief  food ;  while  eating,  it 
holds  the  food  with  its  fore  paws,  and  sits  upright  on .  its 
haunches,  like  the  squirrels  and  marmots.  The  Jerdoa  does 
not  bear  confinement  well;  it  always  appears  uneasy  and 
distrustful ;  it  remains  hidden  during  the  day,  and  even  when 
it  emerges  from  its  concealment  towards  the  evening  is  always 
ready  to  retreat  at  the  least  alarm. 

There  are  many  jerboas ;  the  Egyptian  Jerboa  is  rather 
small,  being  about  the  size  of  a  large  rat ;  its  colour  is  a 
tawny  yellow. 


THE    DORMOUSE. 

The  DORMOUSE  is  very  common  in  all  the  warmer  parts 
of  the  Continent,  and  is  often  found  in  England,  especially 
in  the  southern  and  midland  counties.  It  lives  in  copses 
and  among  brushwood,  through  which  it  makes  its  way  with 
such  rapidity  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  capture.  During  the 
winter  it  lies  torpid,  but  takes  care  to  have  a  stock  of  food 
laid  up,  on  which  it  feeds  during  the  few  interruptions  to  its 
slumbers.  A  warm  day  in  winter  will  usually  rouse  it,  but 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d  Myoxina. 

MYOXUS. — (Gr.  Mvofof,  or  fivu^og,  a  Dormouse.) 


Avellanarius  (Lat.  from  Avellaris,  filbert),  the  Dormouse. 

during  the  cold  weather  it  lies  rolled  up,  with  its  tail  curled 
round  it.  While  in  this  torpid  state,  a  sudden  exposure  to 
heat  kills  it,  but  a  gentle  warmth,  such  as  holding  it  in  the 
hand,  rouses  it  without  injury.  It  lives  principally  on  nuts, 
acorns  and  grain.  It  brings  up  its  young  in  a  nest  composed 
of  leaves  and  hay,  and  seems  to  be  fond  of  society  in  its 
household  labours,  as  ten  or  twelve  nests  have  been  seen  close 
to  each  other. 


THE   SQUIRREL. 

The  SQUIRREL  is  a  very  common  animal  in  woods,  where 
numbers  may  be  seen  frisking  about  on  the  branches,  or 
running  up  and  down  the  trunks.  If  alarmed,  it  springs  up 
the  tree  with  extraordinary  activity,  and  hides  behind  a  branch. 
By  this  trick  it  escapes  its  enemy  the  hawk,  and  by  constantly 
slipping  behind  the  large  branches,  frequently  tires  him  out. 
The  activity  and  daring  of  this  little  animal  are  extraordinary. 
When  pursued,  it  makes  the  most  astonishing  leaps  from  branch 
to  branch,  or  from  tree  to  tree,  and  has  apparently  some  method 
of  altering  its  direction  while  in  the  air,  possibly  by  means  of 
its  tail  acting  as  a  rudder. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  e.  Sdurina. 
SCIUKUS. — (Gr.  2/cm,  a  shadow ;  ovpu,  a  tail.) 


Europseus  (Lat.  European),  the  Squirrel. 

It  is  easily  domesticated,  and  is  very  amusing  in  its  habits 
when  suffered  to  go  at  large  in  a  room  or  kept  in  a  spacious 
cage ;  but  when  confined  in  a  little  cramped  box,  especially  in 
one  of  the  cruel  wheel  cages,  its  energies  and  playfulness  are 
quite  lost.  The  colour  of  the  English  Squirrel  is  a  deep  reddish 
brown,  and  its  tail  so  large  and  bushy  as  to  shade  its  whole 
body,  when  carried  curled  over  its  back,  from  whence  it  derives 
its  name  of  Sciurus,  or  Shadow-tail. 


THE   FLYING    SQUIRREL. 

The  FLYING  SQUIRRELS  are  well  known  by  their  power  of 
making  enormous  sweeps  through  the  air.  They  are  enabled 
to  make  these  leaps  by  a  fold  of  skin  at  each  side,  which,  when 
spread  by  the  extended  paws,  forms  a  kind  of  parachute, 
that  supports  them  in  their  passage  through  the  air.  When 
they  wish  to  pass  from  one  tree  to  another,  they  spring 
downwards  from  a  lofty  branch,  stretch  out  all  their  legs,  and 
sweep  to  their  mark  with  an  upward  curve.  The  species  of 
Flying  Squirrel  here  represented  is  a  native  of  the  Rocky 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
PTEROMYS. — (Gr.  Ilrepov,  a  wing;  jui-f.  a  mouse.) 


Alpinus  (Lat.  Alpine),  the  Flying  Squirrel. 

Mountains  in  America,  where  it  lives  among  the  dense  pine 
forests  that  abound  there.  Its  colour  is  yellowish  brown,  and 
its  length  about  a  foot. 


ARCTOMYS. — (Gr.  "Ap/crof ,  a  bear ;  fitf,  a  mouse.) 
^| 


Marmotta,  the  Marmot. 

The    ALPINE    MARMOT    is    common    in    the    mountainous 

districts  of  Europe.     It  lives  in  burrows  dug  in  the  ground. 

These  burrows  are  something  in  the  shape  of  a  Y,  one  of  tne 

forks  leading  to  its  habitation,  a  kind  of  chamber  lined  with 

F 


122  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

dry  grass  and  mosses,  and  the  other  fork  serving  as  a  store- 
house for  food,  as  a  provision  against  the  winter  months,  when 
it  retires  to  its  hole,  closes  the  entrance,  and  becomes  torpid 
until  the  commencement  of  spring.  When  it  first  retires  for 
the  winter,  it  is  very  fat,  and  is  then  killed  and  eaten  in  great 
numbers.  The  skin  is  also  of  some  service. 

Many  may  be  seen  in  England,  carried  about  by  the  Savoy- 
ard boys,  who  catch  them  when  young,  and  tame  them.  When 
domesticated  they  are  mild  and  inoffensive,  but  no  instruction 
entirely  overcomes  their  abhorrence  of  a  dog. 

When  feeding  in  its  native  country,  it  is  very  suspicious,  and 
always  stations  one  marmot  as  a  sentinel,  and  on  his  giving  the 
alarm,  the  remainder  instantly  seek  the  protection  of  their  holes, 
closely  followed  by  the  faithful  sentinel. 


THE    OX. 

THE  Ruminantia,  or  animals  that  chew  the  cud,  include  the 
oxen,  sheep  and  goats,  deer,  giraffe,  and  camels.  They  have  a 
peculiar  construction  of  stomach,  which  receives  the  fresh- 
gathered  food,  retains  it  for  some  hours,  and  then  passes  it  back 
into  the  mouth  to  be  re-masticated. 

The  Ox  is  spread  widely  over  the  earth,  scarcely  any 
country  being  without  its  peculiar  breed.  In  this  country, 
where  it  is  our  most  useful  domesticated  animal,  there  are 
nearly  as  many  breeds  as  counties,  generally  distinguished  by 
the  length  or  shape  of  their  horns.  There  is  the  "  long-horned 
breed"  from  Lancashire,  the  "  short-horned"  from  Durham,  the 
"  middle-horned"  from  Devonshire,  and  the  "  polled,"  or  horn- 
less, breed.  Each  of  these  breeds  has  its  particular  value  :  some 
fatten  easily,  and  are  kept  especially  for  the  butcher ;  others 
give  milk,  and  are  valuable  for  the  dairy.  The  best  dairy  cow 
is  the  Alderney,  a  small,  short-horned  animal,  furnishing  ex- 
ceedingly rich  milk. 

In  some  parts  of  England,  oxen  are  used  to  draw  waggons, 
or  to  drag  the  plough.  They  are  not  so  strong  as  horses,  and 
their  movements  are  much  slower. 

Formerly,  the  cruel  sport  of  bull-baiting  was  much  practised 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Order  Y UNO ULATA.— (Lat.  possessing  hoofs.) 

Family  I BovidsS. — (Lat.  Bos,  an  ox.     Ox  kind.) 

Sub-family  a. .  Bovina. 


Taurus  (Lat.  a  Bull),  the  Ox. 

in  England,  and  bull-rings,  that  is,  large  iron  rings  firmly  fixed 
in  the  ground,  may  be  seen  in  the  market-place  of  many 
towns.  The  poor  bull  was  fastened  to  the  ring  by  a  strong 
rope,  and  mangled  by  the  repeated  attacks  of  large  and-fierce 
dogs.  Sometimes  the  rope  did  not  prove  strong  enough  to 
restrain  his  frantic  struggles,  and  the  tortured  animal  chased 
and  scattered  the  terrified  spectators.  In  Spain,  bull-baiting 
is  a  very  popular  sport.  The  Spaniards  do  not  confine  the 
animal  with  a  rope,  but  turn  him  loose  into  a  large  arena, 
where  several  men,  armed  with  spears  and  darts,  first  goad 
him  into  madness,  and  then  slaughter  him.  The  death  of 
the  bull  is,  however,  considered  as  a  compliment  due  to  the 
valour  and  endurance  of  the  animal ;  for  if  a  bull  is  soon 
overcome,  or  refuses  to  attack  his  opponents,  he  is  driven  out 
of  the  arena  amid  the  hisses  of  the  spectators,  and  suffered  to 
prolong  an  ignominous  existence. 


124  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Every  part  of  the  Ox  is  of  value.  We  eat  his  flesh,  we  wear 
shoes  soled  with  his  skin,  our  candles  are  made  from  his  fat,  our 
tables  are  joined  with  glue  made  from  his  hoofs,  the  mortar 
of  our  walls  is  mixed  with  his  hairs,  his  horns  are  made  into 
combs,  knife  handles,  drinking  cups,  &c.,  his  bones  are  used 
instead  of  ivory,  and  the  fragments  ground  and  scattered  over 
the  fields  as  manure,  and  soup  is  made  from  his  tail. 

The  young  ox  is  called  a  calf,  and  is  quite  as  useful  in  its 
way  as  the  full-grown  ox.  The  flesh  is  called  veal,  and  by 
many  preferred  to  the  flesh  of  the  ox  or  cow,  which  is  called 
beef:  jelly  is  made  from  its  feet.  The  stomach  is  salted  and 
dried,  and  is  called  rennet.  Cheese  is  made  by  soaking  a  piece 
of  rennet  in  water,  and  pouring  it  into  a  vessel  of  milk.  The 
milk  soon  forms  curd,  which  is  placed  in  a  press,  and  the  watery 
substance,  called  whey,  squeezed  from  it.  The  curd  is  coloured 
and  salted,  and  is  then  cheese. 

When  a  number  of  cows  are  kept  in  the  same  yard,  the  oldest 
cow  always  takes  precedence,  and  pushes  the  others  with  her 
horns  if  they  interfere  with  her.  She  chooses  her  own  rack, 
and  if  she  sees  another  rack  better  furnished,  she  dispossesses 
the  original  proprietor,  and  with  an  air  of  ridiculous  complacency 
appropriates  it  to  herself.  None  of  the  junior  cows  attempt  to 
leave  the  yard  or  enter  it  until  she  has  preceded  them,  and  so 
jealous  is  she  of  her  authority,  that  if  any  enter  before  her  she 
refuses  to  move  until  they  have  been  turned  out.  She  then 
looks  round  in  a  dignified  manner,  and  marches  in,  followed  by 
the  rest  of  the  troop. 

At  Chillingham  Park  there  is  a  breed  of  wild  cattle,  appa- 
rently the  descendants  of  the  original  race  that  overran  Eng- 
land in  former  years.  They  still  retain  their  wild  habits,  and 
when  any  of  them  must  be  killed,  thirty  or  forty  men  go  out 
armed  with  rifles.  A  keeper  mounted  on  a  swift  horse  sepa- 
rates the  victim  from  the  herd,  and  drives  it  by  the  concealed 
marksmen,  who  speedily  lay  it  prostrate.  The  colour  of  the 
Chillingham  breed  is  always  white  with  dark  red  ears. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  125 


THE  ZEBU. 


The  ZEBU  or  BRAHMIN  BULL  is  a  native  of  India.  It  is 
a  very  conspicuous  animal  on  account  of  the  hump  on  its 
shoulders.  There  are  different  breeds  of  it,  some  larger  than 
the  English  cattle,  and  some  hardly  larger  than  an  ordinary 
hog.  The  Hindoos  treat  it  with  great  reverence,  and  will  not 
suffer  it  to  be  molested.  It  is  in  consequence  so  tame  and 
familiar  that  it  will  often  walk  down  the  streets,  examine  the 
shops,  and  perhaps  help  itself  to  some  sweetmeats ;  or  it  will 
lie  down  in  the  narrow  street ;  but  no  one  must  disturb  it, 
they  must  either  proceed  by  another  road  or  wait  until  the 
sacred  animal  is  pleased  to  rise.  With  singular  inconsistency 
the  Hindoo,  although  he  honours  the  bull  with  such  absurd 
reverence,  yet  has  no  pity  on  the  ox.  While  the  consecrated 
bull  wanders  with  impunity  through  the  streets,  walks  into 
shops,  (china  shops  or  otherwise,)  and  resents  with  a  peevish 
push  of  its  horns  the  slightest  affront,  the  ox  is  fastened  to  the 
plough,  urged  on  by  the  goad,  and  put  to  every  kind  of  labour. 
The  Zebu-cow,  although  not  quite  so  well  treated  as  the  bull, 
yet  enjoys  more  forbearance  than  the  ox. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


BUBALUS. — (Gr.  Boii(3aAof,  a  Buffalo.) 


Buffelus,  the  Buffalo. 


The  ASIATIC  BUFFALO  is  a  large  and  powerful  animal  with 
enormous  horns.  It  closely  resembles  the  domestic  ox,  but 
is  larger  and  stronger.  Its  strength  is  so  great  that  it  is  a 
formidable  enemy  even  to  the  tiger.  Captain  Basil  Hall 
gives  an  account  of  a  battle  between  a  buffalo  and  a  tiger.. 
The  tiger,  however,  seemed  to  have  been  alarmed  at  the  very 
unusual  scene  into  which  he  had  been  transferred ;  but  the 
readiness  of  the  buffalo  to  attack,  proves  that  it  did  not  fear 
the  tiger. 

"  We  were  promised  a  grand  day's  sport  one  afternoon, 
when  a  buffalo  and  a  tiger  were  to  be  pitted  against  each 
other.  The  buffalo  entered  the  ring  composedly  enough  ; 
but  after  looking  about  him,  turned  to  one  side,  and  rather 
pettishly,  as  if  he  had  felt  a  little  bilious,  overturned  a  vessel 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  127 

of  water  placed  there  expressly  for  his  use.  The  tiger  refused 
for  a  long  time  to  make  his  appearance,  and  it  was  not  till 
his  den  was  filled  with  smoke  and  fire  that  he  sprang  out. 
The  buffalo  charged  his  enemy  in  a  moment,  and  by  one 
furious  push  capsized  him  right  over.  To  our  great  dis- 
appointment, the  tiger  pocketed  this  insult  in  the  shabbiest 
manner  imaginable,  and  passing  on,  leaped  furiously  at  the 
ropes,  with  which  his  feet  became  entangled,  so  that  the 
buffalo  was  enabled  to  punish  liis  antagonist  about  the  rump 
most  ingloriously.  When  at  length  the  tiger  got  loose,  he 
slunk  oft'  to  a  distant  part  of  the  area,  lay  down,  and  pre- 
tended to  be  dead.  The  boys,  however,  soon  put  him  up 
again,  and  tried  to  bring  hirn  to  the  scratch  with  squibs  and 
crackers ;  and  a  couple  of  dozen  dogs  being  introduced  at  the 
same  moment,  they  all  set  at  him,  but  only  one  ventured  to 
take  any  liberty  with  the  enraged  animal.  This  bold  dog 
actually  caught  the  tiger  by  the  tail,  but  a  slight  pat  of  the 
mighty  monster's  paw  crushed  the  yelping  cur  as  flat  as  a 
board.  The  buffalo,  who  really  appeared  anxious  to  have 
a  fair  stand-up  fight,  now  drove  the  dogs  off,  and  repeatedly 
poked  the  tiger  with  his  nose,  and  even  turned  him  half  over 
several  times  with  his  horns. 

"  We  had  then  a  fight  between  two  buffaloes,  which  ran 
their  heads  .against  each  other  with  a  crash  that  one  could 
fancy  shook  the  palace  to  its  veiy  foundation  ;  indeed,  the 
only  wonder  was  how  both  animals  did  not  fall  down  dead 
with  their  skulls  fractured.  But  there  appears  to  be  a 
wonderful  degree  of  thickness  or  hardness  in  this  part  of  the 
animal."* 

The  Buffalo  has  long  been  domesticated  in  India,  and 
from  its  great  strength  is  exceedingly  useful.  In  its  wild 
state  it  is  always  found  in  marshy  grounds,  where  the  air  is 
sufficiently  pestilential  to  destroy  most  animals.  There  it 
will  luxuriate  through  the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  with  its 
entire  body  immersed  in  the  muddy  water,  only  leaving  its 
muzzle  above  the  surface. 

The  hide  of  this  animal  is  particularly  thick  and  strong, 
and  is  in  great  request  for  making  harness. 

*  Hall's  Fragments,  part  iii.  p.  98. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Caffer,  the  Cape  Buffalo. 


The  CAPE  BUFFALO  is  a  native  of  Southern  Africa.  It  is 
exceedingly  ferocious  and  cunning,  often  lurking  among  the 
trees  until  an  unsuspecting  traveller  approaches,  and  then 
rushing  on  him  and  destroying  him.  The  ferocious  creature 
is  not  content  with  killing  his  victim,  but  stands  over  him 
mangling  him  with  its  horns,  and  stamping  on  him  with  its 
feet.  Gumming  shot  several  of  these  animals,  and  once  or 
twice  had  narrow  escapes  from  them,  as  they  are  difficult  to 
kill.  His  description  of  their  aspect  is  very  good,  and  I 
cannot  do  better  than  give  it  in  his  own  words. 

"  Their  horns  reminded  me  of  the  rugged  trunk  of  an  oak- 
tree.  Each  horn  was  upwards  of  a  foot  in  breadth  at  the 
base,  and  together  they  effectually  protected  the  skull  with 
a  massive  and  impenetrable  shield.  The  horns,  descending 
and  spreading  out  horizontally,  completely  overshadow  the 
animal's  eyes,  imparting  to  him  a  look  the  most  ferocious  and 
sinister  that  can  be  imagined." 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Americanus  (Lat.  American),  the  Bison. 

The  BISON  inhabits  the  plains  or  prairies  of  North  America 
in  countless  multitudes.  Its  enormous  and  heavy  mane,  its 
fierce  eyes  and  lowering  appearance,  give  this  animal  a  most 
terrific  aspect.  The  American  Indians  constantly  hunt  the 
Bison,  which  they  call  Buffalo.  Their  weapons  are  principally 
bows  and  arrows,  apparently  weak  and  small,  but  which, 
when  wielded  by  a  skilful  hand,  will  strike  the  huge  bison  to 
the  heart.  In  Catlin's 'account  of  his  travels  among  the  North 
American  Indians  are  many  most  interesting  accounts  of 
"  buffalo  hunts."  Mounted  on  a  swift  horse,  and  armed  with 
a  spear  and  bow  and  arrows,  the  Indians  kill  great  numbers 
of  these  animals.  They  ride  up  close  to  the  bison,  and  with 
the  greatest  apparent  ease  bury  an  arrow  up  to  its  feather  in 
the  creature's  body.  Indeed  many  instances  are  known  where 


130  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

the  slight  Indian  bow,  drawn  without  any  perceptible  effort, 
has  thrown  the  arrow  completely  through  the  body  of  the 
huge  animal.  When  only  wounded  it  is  a  most  dangerous 
antagonist,  and  rushes  on  its  enemy  with  the  most  determined 
ferocity.  Richardson  gives  an  instance  of  its  fury  when 
wounded. 

"  Mr.  Finnan  M'Donald,  one  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's clerks,  was  descending  the  Saskatchewan  in  a  boat,  and 
one  evening,  having  pitched  his  tent  for  the  night,  he  went 
out  in  the  dusk  to  look  for  game.  It  had  bec^ne  nearly  dark, 
when  he  fired  at  a  bison  bull,  which  was  galloping  over  a  small 
eminence,  and  as  he  was  hastening  forward  to  see  if  his  shot 
had  taken  effect,  the  wounded  beast  made  a  rush  at  him.  He 
had  the  presence  of  mind  to  seize  the  animal  by  the  long  hair 
on  its  forehead  as  it  struck  him  on  the  side  with  its  horn,  and 
being  a  remarkably  tall  and  powerful  man,  a  struggle  ensued, 
which  continued  until  his  wrist  was  severely  sprained,  and  his 
arm  was  rendered  powerless ;  he  then  fell,  and  after  receiving 
two  or  three  blows  became  senseless.  Shortly  afterwards  he 
was  found  by  his  companions  lying  bathed  in  blood,  being  gored 
in  several  places,  and  the  bison  was  couched  beside  him,  ap- 
parently waiting  to  renew  the  attack  had  he  shown  any  signs 
of  life." 


THE    YAK. 


The  YAK  inhabits  Tartary.  Of  this  animal  in  a  native  state 
little  or  nothing  is  known.  The  name  of  "  grunniens,"  or 
grunting,  is  derived  from  the  peculiar  sound  that  it  utters. 
The  tail  of  the  Yak  is  very  long  and  fine,  and  is  used  in  India 
as  a  fan  or  whisk  to  keep  off  the  mosquitos.  The  tail  is  fixed 
into  an  ivory  or  metal  handle,  and  is  then  called  a  chowrie. 
Elephants  are  sometimes  taught  to  carry  a  chowrie  and  wave 
it  about  in  the  air.  From  the  shoulders  of  the  Yak  a  mass 
of  long  hair  falls  almost  to  the  ground,  something  like  the 
mane  of  a  Lion.  This  hair  is  applied  to  various  purposes  by 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
POEPHAGIT8. — (Gr.  IIw/,  grass;    yuyu,  I  eat.) 


Gruniiiens  (Lat.  grunting),  the  Yak. 

the  Tartars.  They  weave  it  into  cloth,  of  which  they  not 
only  make  articles  of  dress,  but  also  tents,  and  even  the  ropes 
which  sustain  the  tents. 


THE    MUSK    OX. 

The  MUSK  Ox  is  a  native  of  North  America,  and  is  not 
very  unlike  the  Yak  in  appearance.  It  is  covered  with  very 
long  hair,  which  reaches  almost  to  the  ground.  Its  flesh  is 
tolerably  good  when  fat,  but  at  other  times  it  smells  strongly 
of  musk.  The  horns  of  this  animal  are  united  together  at 
their  base,  forming  a  kind  of  shield  or  helmet  covering  the 
forehead.  When  the  hunters  wish  to  shoot  the  Musk  Ox  they 
conceal  themselves,  and  fire  without  permitting  the  oxen  to 
see  them.  The  poor  animals  seem  to  fancy  that  the  report 
of  the  guns  is  thunder,  and  crowd  together  in  a  mass,  so  that 
they  afford  a  good  mark.  If,  however,  they  catch  sight  of 
one  of  their  assailants,  they  instantly  charge  at  him,  and  then 


132  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

OVIBOS. — (Lat.  Sheep-Ox.) 


Moschatus  (Lat.  musky),  the  Musk  Ox. 

are  very  dangerous  enemies.  Both  this  animal  and  the  Yak 
are  small,  scarcely  equalling  in  size  the  small  Highland  cattle, 
but  the  thick  hair  which  covers  them  makes  them  look  larger 
than  they  really  are. 


THE    GNOO. 

The  GNOO,  or  WILDEBEEST,  inhabits  Southern  Africa.  At 
first  sight  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether  the  horse,  buffalo,  or 
antelope  predominates  in  its  form.  The  horns  cover  the  top 
of  the  forehead,  and  then  sweeping  downwards  over  the  face, 
turn  boldly  upwards  with  a  sharp  curve.  The  neck  is  fur- 
nished with  a  mane  like  that  of  the  horse,  and  the  legs  are 
formed  like  those  of  the  stag,  It  is  a  very  swift  animal,  and 
when  provoked,  very  dangerous.  When  it  attacks  an  oppo- 
nent it  drops  on  its  knees,  and  then  springs  forward  with  such 
force  that,  unless  he  is  extremely  wary  and  active,  he  cannot 
avoid  its  shock.  When  first  alarmed,  its  movemer'.s  are  very 
grotesque. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  133 

CATOBLEPAS. — (Gr.  Karu/3Ae7rwi>,  looking  down.) 


"  When  the  hunter  approaches  the  old  bulls,  they  commence 
whisking  their  long  white  tails  in  a  most  eccentric  manner ; 
then  springing  suddenly  into  the  air,  they  begin  prancing  and 
capering,  and  pursue  each  other  in  circles  at  their  utmost 
speed.  Suddenly  they  all  pull  up  together,  to  overhaul  the 
intruder,  when  two  of  the  bulls  will  often  commence  fighting 
in  the  most  violent  manner,  dropping  on  their  knees  at  every 
shock  ;  then  quickly  wheeling  about,  they  kick  up  their  heels, 
whirl  their  tails  with  a  fantastic  flourish,  and  scour  across  the 
plain  enveloped  in  a  cloud  of  dust."* 

The  size  of  the  Gnoo  is  about  that  of  a  well-grown  ass,  that 
is,  about  four  feet  in  height.  Its  flesh  is  in  great  repute  both 
arnong  the  natives  and  colonists. 

*  Cumming's  South  Africa. 


134 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


PORTAX. — (Gr.  Uoprat,  a  Calf.) 


Picta  (Lat.  painted),  tlie  Nylghau. 


The  NYLGHAU,  one -of  the  largest  and  most  magnificent  of 
the  Antelopes,  inhabits  the  forests  of  India.  It  is  extremely 
vicious,  and  cannot  be  approached  without  danger.  Its  method 
of  attack  is  similar  to  that  of  the  gnoo,  namely,  dropping 
upon  its  knees  and  then  springing  violently  forward.  The 
tiger  is  its  great  enemy,  and  often  destroys  it  in  spite  of  its 
courage.  During  the  day  the  Nylghau  conceals  itself  in  the 
forests,  and  at  night  leaves  its  coverts  to  feed,  often  doing  no 
inconsiderable  harm  to  adjacent  cultivated  lands. 

The  colour  of  this  creature  is  a  slaty  blue  ;  it  has  however 
several  white  spots,  and  from  its  throat  and  shoulders  hangs 
a  dense  bnnch  of  hair.  It  is  about  the  same  size  as  the 
gnoo,  standing  about  four  feet  high  at  the  shoulder. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


STBEPSICEROS.  —  (Gr. 


,  a  twisting;  Ktpaf,  a  horn.) 


Kudu,  the  Koodoo. 

The  KOODOO  is  a  native  of  South  Africa,  living  along  the 
wooded  borders  of  rivers.  It  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its 
beautifully  shaped  horns,  which  are  about  four  feet  in  length, 
and  twisted  into  a  large  spiral  of  about  two  turns  and  a  half. 
A  bold  ridge  runs  along  the  horns  and  follows  their  curvature. 
When  hard  pressed  it  always  takes  to  the  water,  and  endeav- 
ours to  escape  by  its  powers  of  swimming.  Although  a  large 
animal,  nearly  four  feet  in  height,  it  can  leap  with  wonderful 
activity.  The  weight  of  the  horns  is  very  considerable,  and 
partly  to  relieve  itself  of  that  weight,  and  partly  to  guard  them 
from  entanglement  in  the  bushes  among  which  it  lives  and  on 
which  it  feeds,  it  carries  its  head  backwards,  so  that  the  horns 
rest  on  its  shoulders. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


BOSELAPHUS. — (Gr.  Ox-stag.) 


Oreas  (Gr.  'Opetdf,  belonging  to  the  mountains),  the  Eland. 

The  best  and  fullest  accounts  of  the  ELAND  and  the  ORYX 
are  to  be  found  in  Harris  and  Cumming's  Adventures  in  South 
Africa.  An  extract  from  Gumming  will  be  both  interesting 
and  accurate.  Of  the  Eland,  he  writes  : — 

"  This  magnificent  animal  is  by  far  the  largest  of  all  the 
antelope  tribe,  exceeding  a  large  ox  in  size.  It  also  attains 
an  extraordinary  condition,  being  often  burthened  with  a  very 
large  amount  of  fat.  Its  flesh  is  most  excellent,  and  is  justly 
esteemed  above  all  others.  It  has  a  peculiar  sweetness,  and 
is  tender  and  fit  for  use  the  moment  the  animal  is  killed. 
Like  the  gemsbok,  the  Eland  is  independent  of  water.  It  is 
generally  diffused  throughout  all  the  wooded  districts  of  the 
interior  where  I  have  hunted.  Like  other  varieties  of  deer 
and  antelope,  the  old  males  may  often  be  found  consorting 
together  apart  from  the  females,  and  a  troop  of  these,  when 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  137 

in   full   condition,    may    be    likened    to    a    herd   of   stall-fed 
oxen. 

"  I  have  repeatedly  seen  an  eland  drop  down  dead  at  the  end 
of  a  severe  chase,  owing  to  his  plethoric  habit.  The  skin  of  the 
eland  I  had  just  shot  emitted,  like  most  other  antelopes,  the 
most  delicious  perfume  of  trees  and  grass." 


ORYX. — (Gr.  "0/wf,  a  word  from  Herodotus,  denoting  a  gazelle.) 


Leucoryx  (Gr.  the  white  Oryx,)  the  Oryx. 

The  ORYX,  also  a  South  African  animal,  is  well  known 
among  hunters  as  the  only  antelope  that  revenges  itself  on 
the  lion.  "When  the  lion  springs  on  it,  it  lowers  its  sharp 
horns,  receiving  the  lion  on  their  points.  It  invariably 


138  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

perishes  by  the  shock,  but  the  lion  also  perishes  with  it. 
Their  skeletons  have  been  seen  lying  together  bleached  on  the 
plain. 

"  The  oryx,  or  gemsbok,  to  which  I  was  now  about  to  direct 
my  attention  more  particularly,  is  about  the  most  beautiful 
and  remarkable  of  all  the  antelope  tribe.  It  is  the  animal 
which  is  supposed  to  have  given  rise  to  the  fable  of  the 
unicorn,  from  its  long  straight  horns,  when  seen  in  profile,  so 
exactly  covering  one  another  as  to  give  it  the  appearance  of 
having  but  one.  It  possesses  the  erect  mane,  long  sweeping 
black  tail,  and  general  appearance  of  the  horse,  with  the  head 
and  hoofs  of  an  antelope.  It  is  robust  in  its  form,  squarely 
and  compactly  built,  and  very  noble  in  its  bearing.  Its 
height  is  about  that  of  an  ass,  and  in  colour  it  slightly 
resembles  that  animal.  The  beautiful  black  bands  which 
eccentrically  adorn  its  head,  giving  it  the  appearance  of  wear- 
ing a  stall  collar,  together  with  the  manner  in  which  the.  rump 
and  thighs  are  painted,  impart  to  it  a  character  peculiar  to  it- 
self. The  adult  male  measures  3  feet  10  inches  in  height  at  the 
shoulder."* 


THE    SPRINGBOK. 

Again  an  extract  from  Gumming  must  supply  the  place  of 
description.  During  his  early  travels  in  South  Africa,  the  first 
object  that  met  his  eyes  on  waking  one  morning,  was  a  herd 
of  SPRINGBOKS,  which  he  thus  describes  :f 

"  On  the  28th  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  beholding,  for  the 
first  time,  what  I  had  often  heard  the  Boers  allude  to,  viz.  a 
'  trek-bokken,'  or  grand  migration  of  springboks.  This  was, 
I  think,  the  most  extraordinary  and  striking  scene,  as  connected 
with  beasts  of  the  chase,  that  I  have  ever  beheld.  For  about 
two  hours  before  the  day  dawned  I  had  been  lying  awake  in 
my  waggon,  listening  to  the  grunting  of  the  bucks  within 
two  hundred  yards  of  me,  imagining  that  some  large  herd  of 
springboks  was  feeding  beside  my  camp ;  but  on  my  rising 
when  it  was  clear,  and  looking  about  me,  I  beheld  the  ground 

*  Cumming's  Adventures.  t  Ibid. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Euchore  (Gr.  Ev,  well ;  x°P°f,  dance),  the  Springbok. 

to  the  northward  of  my  camp  actually  covered  with  a  dense 
living  mass  of  springboks,  marching  slowly  and  steadily  along, 
extending  from  an  opening  in  a  long  range  of  hills  on  the 
west,  through  which  they  continued  pouring,  like  the  flood  of 
som3  great  river,  to  a  ridge  about  a  mile  to  the  north-east,  over 
which  they  disappeared.  The  breadth  of  the  ground  they 
covered  might  have  been  somewhere  about  half  a  mile.  I 
stood  upon  the  fore-chest  of  my  waggon  for  nearly  two  hours, 
lost  in  wonder  at  the  novel  and  wonderful  scene  which  was 
passing  before  me,  and  had  some  difficulty  in  convincing  my- 
self that  it  was  reality  which  I  beheld,  and  not  the  wild  and 
exaggerated  picture  of  a  hunter's  dream.  During  this  time 
their  vast  legions  continued  streaming  through  the  neck  in  the 
hills  in  one  unbroken  compact  phalanx. 

"  Vast  and  surprising  as  was  the  herd  of  springboks  which 
I  had  that  morning  witnessed,  it  was  infinitely  surpassed  by 
what  I  beheld  on  the  march  from  my  vley  to  old  Sweir's 
camp ;  for  on  our  clearing  the  low  range  of  hills  through 
which  the  springboks  had  been  pouring,  I  beheld  the  bound- 


140 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


less  plains,  and  even  the  hill  sides  which  stretched  away  on 
every  side  of  me,  thickly  covered,  not  with  herds,  but  with 
one  vast  herd  of  springboks ;  as  far  as  the  eye  could  strain  the 
landscape  was  alive  with  them,  until  they  softened  down  into 
a  dim  red  mass  of  living  creatures." 

The  Springbok  is  very  fearful  of  man,  and  if  it  has  to  cross 
a  path  over  which  a  man  has  passed  before,  it  does  not  walk 
over,  but  takes  a  tremendous  leap,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high, 
and  about  fifteen  long,  at  the  same  time  curving  its  back  in  a 
most  extraordinary  manner.  It  is  from  this  habit  of  leaping 
that  the  Dutch  Boers  who  inhabit  the  Cape  have  given  it  the 
name  of  Springbok. 


Ariel  (Gr.  proper  name),  the  Gazelle. 


The  GAZELLE,  so  famous  in  Oriental  poetry,  inhabits  Arabia 
and  Syria.  Its  eyes  are  very  large,  dark,  and  lustrous,  so  that 
the  Oriental  poets  love  to  compare  the  eyes  of  a  woman  to 
those  of  a  gazelle,  just  as  Homer  constantly  applied  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  141 

epithet  ox-eyed  (/3oo>mf)  to  the  more  majestic  goddesses,  such 
as  Juno  and  Minerva.  It  is  easily  tamed  when  young,  and  is 
frequently  seen  domesticated  in  the  courtyards  of  houses  in 
Syria.  Its  swiftness  is  so  great  that  even  a  greyhound  cannot 
overtake  it,  and  the  hunters  are  forced  to  make  use  of  hawks, 
which  are  trained  to  strike  at  the  head  of  the  gazelle,  and 
thus  confuse  it,  and  retard  its  speed,  so  as  to  permit  the  dogs 
to  come  up.  In  several  parts  of  Syria,  the  gazelle  is  taken 
hy  driving  a  herd  into  a  large  enclosure  surrounded  hy  a  deep 
ditch.  A  few  gaps  are  made,  through  which  the  terrified 
animals  leap,  and  fall  into  the  ditch,  when  they  are  easily 
taken.  The  height  of  the  gazelle  is  ahout  one  foot  nine 
inches ;  its  colour  a  dark  yellowish  brown,  fading  into  white 
on  the  under  parts. 


RUPICAPRA. — (Lat.  Rock-goat.) 


Tragus  (Gr.  Tpdyoe,  a  He-goat),  the  Chamois. 

The  CHAMOIS  is  found  only  in  mountainous  regions,  espe- 
cially the  Alpine  chains  of  Europe  and  Western  Asia.  It 
lives  on  the  loftiest  ridges,  displaying  wonderful  activity,  and 
leaping  with  certainty  and  security  on  places  where  the  eye 
can  hardly  discern  room  for  its  feet.  The  Chamois  hunters 


142  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

are  exposed  to  the  most  frightful  dangers,  to  falls  down  terrific 
precipices,  to  hunger  and  cold,  and  eveiy  imaginable  hardship 
that  days  spent  among  Alpine  precipices  can  suggest.  Yet  a 
kind  of  fascination  urges  them  on,  although  few  Chamois 
hunters  escape  the  dangers  that  surround  them.  The  skin  of 
the  Chamois  is  used  extensively  hy  shoemakers. 
Several  genera  are  omitted. 


CAPEA.— (Lat.  a  Goat.} 


Ibex,  the  Ibex,  or  Steinbok. 

The  IBEX  inhabits  the  Alpine  regions  of  Europe  and  "Western 
Asia.  It  is  instantly  recognized  by  its  magnificent  horns, 
which  curve  with  a  bold  sweep  from  the  head  almost  to  the 
haunches.  The  horns  are  surrounded  at  regular  intervals 
with  rings,  and  are  immensely  strong,  serving,  as  some  say, 
to  break  the  fall  of  the  Ibex  when  it  makes  a  leap  from  a 
height. 

When  chased  it  is  a  dangerous  animal,  as  after  it  has  led 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  143 

its  pursuer  over  dangerous  heights  and  fearful  chasms,  it  will 
frequently  turn  on  him,  and  unless  he  can  shoot  it  before  it 
reaches  him,  will  hurl  him  over  the  precipice.  It  is  very 
wary,  and,  like  many  other  animals,  posts  a  sentry  to  keep 
watch :  when  he  sees  a  suspicious  object,  he  gives  notice  by  a 
kind  of  whistle,  when  the  whole  of  the  herd  instantly  dash  off 
to  the  highest  point  they  can  find.  The  height  of  the  Ibex 
is  two  feet  six  inches ;  the  length  of  its  horns  often  three  feet. 


Hircus  (Lat.  a  He-goat),  the  Goat. 

The  common  GOAT  is  not  in  much  request  in  England,  but 
in  some  other  countries,  as  Syria  and  Switzerland,  herds  of 
goats  are  kept  for  the  sake  of  their  milk,  and  in  fact  almost 
entirely  take  the  place  of  the  cow.  The  most  celebrated 
variety  of  this  animal  is  the  Cashmir  goat,  which  furnishes 
the  beautifully  fine  wool'  from  which  the  costly  Cashmir 
shawls  are  made.  The  shawls  bear  a  high  value  even  in  their 
own  country,  but  in  Europe  the  price  is  much  increased  by  the 
various  taxes  which  are  paid  in  every  stage  of  the  manufacture 
— the  average  number  of  taxes  paid  on  each  shawl  being  about 
thirty,  several  of  which  are  limited  only  by  the  pleasure  of  the 
collector. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
Ovis.— (Lat  a  Sheep.) 


Aries  (Lat.  a  Rani). 

There  are  many  kinds  of  SHEEP,  among  which  the  common 
sheep,  the  long-tailed  sheep,  and  the  Wallachian  sheep  are 
the  most  conspicuous.  Next  to  the  cow,  the  sheep  is  our 
most  useful  animal.  England  produces  better  wool  than  any 
country,  for  although  the  wool  of  the  Spanish  sheep  is  finer 
than  ours,  it  is  much  less  in  quantity.  The  Merino,  as  this 
sheep  is  called,  is  annually  conducted  from  one  part  of  the 
country  to  another,  and  back  again.  The  distance  traversed 
is  upwards  of  four  hundred  miles,  and  the  time  necessary  to 
complete  the  journey  about  six  or  seven  weeks.  The  pro- 
prietors of  the  flocks  think  that  these  periodical  journeys 
improve  the  wool ;  but  it  is  in  all  probability  a  mistaken 
notion,  as  the  stationary  flocks  of  Leon  and  Estramadura  pro- 
duce quite  as  fine  a  fleece.  Of  course  such  a  body  of  sheep — 
nearly  six  millions — do  great  damage  to  the  lands  over  which 
they  pass,  and  many  fall  victims  to  fatigue  or  are  destroyed  by 
wolves. 

The  long-tailed  sheep  inhabit  Syria  and  Egypt.  Its  tail  is 
so  large  and  so  loaded  with  fat,  that  to  prevent  it  from  being 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  145 

injured  by  dragging  on  the  ground,  a  board  is  fastened  to  the 
under  side  of  it,  and  wheels  are  often  attached  to  the  board. 
The  peculiar  fat  of  the  tail  is  considered  a  great  delicacy,  and 
is  so  soft  as  to  be  frequently  used  as  butter.  The  weight  of  a 
large  tail  is  about  seventy  pounds. 

The  Wallachian  or  Cretan  sheep  is  found  in  Crete,  Wallachia, 
Hungary,  and  Western  Asia,  Its  horns  are  exceedingly  large, 
and  twisted  in  a  manner  resembling  the  horns  of  the  Koodoo. 
It  is  very  strong,  and  extremely  vicious  and  unruly.  In  this 
and  several  other  sheep  the  fleece  is  composed  of  wool  and  hair 
mixed.  The  hair  of  the  Wallachian  sheep  is  long  and  silky 
like  that  of  a  spaniel,  and  of  great  length,  falling  almost  to  the 
ground. 


THE    GIRAFFE. 

This  beautiful  and  extraordinary  animal  is  found  only  in 
Africa.  As  the  gnoo  seems  to  combine  the  properties  of  the 
antelope,  horse,  and  buffalo,  so  the  GIRAFFE  appears  to  bear 
the  characteristics  of  the  antelope  and  the  camel.  In  the 
opinion  of  modern  naturalists,  it  holds  a  place  by  itself  between 
the  deer  and  antelopes ; — it  forms,  at  all  events,  a  group  to 
which  no  other  animals  belong. 

The  height  of  the  Giraffe  varies  from  thirteen  to  eighteen 
feet.  Its  beautiful  long  neck  enables  it  to  browse  on  the  leaves 
of  the  trees  on  which  it  feeds.  It  is  very  dainty  while  feeding, 
and  plucks  the  leaves  one  by  one  with  its  long  and  flexible 
tongue.  On  its  head  are  two  very  remarkable  projections, 
closely  resembling  horns.  These  projections  are  not  horns,  but 
only  thickenings  of  the  bone  of  the  skull,  covered  with  skin, 
and  bearing  a  tuft  of  black  hair  at  the  extremity  of  each.  The 
fore-legs  at  first  sight  appear  longer  than  the  hind  ones,  but 
this  apparent  difference  is  only  caused  by  the  great  length  of 
the  shoulder-blades,  as  both  pair  of  legs  are  of  the  same  length 
at  their  junction  with  the  body.  Its  eyes  are  very  large  and 
prominent,  so  that  the  animal  can  see  on  every  side  without 
turning  its  head.  Just  over  and  between  the  eyes  is  a  bony 
prominence  resembling  the  projecting  enlargements  of  the  skull, 
called  horns.  The  use  of  these  projections  is?  not  very  well 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  b.    Camelopardlna. 
CAMELOPARDALIS. — (Gr.  KdfiTjAoc,  a  camel ;  7ruo<5a/Uf,  a  pard.) 


Giraffa  (Arabic,  ZarapJta),  the  Giraffe. 

known,  as  although  in  play  the  Giraffe  will  swing  its  head 
round  and  strike  with  it,  yet  when  it  wishes  to  repel  an  assail- 
ant it  has  recourse  to  violent  and  rapid  kicks  from  its  hind-legs. 
So  light  and  swift  are  these  kicks  that  the  eye  can  scarcely 
follow  them,  and  so  powerful  are  they  that  the  lion  is  not  un- 
frequently  driven  off  by  them.  Vaillant  relates  that  a  Giraffe 
which  he  was  hunting,  kept  off  his  pack  of  dogs  by  its  rapid 
kicks.  Indeed,  if  it  were  to  venture  its  head  too  near  the  lion, 
a  blow  from  his  tremendous  paw  would  in  all  probability  lay 
the  animal  prostrate. 

The  Giraffe  has  much  difficulty  in  reaching  the  ground 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  147 

•with  its  mouth,  nor  does  it  often  attempt  to  do  so,  unless  it  is 
bribed  with  something  of  which  it  is  very  fond,  such  as  a 
lump  of  sugar.  It  then  straddles  widely  with  its  fore-legs, 
and  with  some  trouble  succeeds  in  reaching  the  object  aimed 
at.  This  attitude  was  noticed  and  copied  in  the  Prena>stine 
pavement. 

The  appearance  of  this  animal  in  its  native  haunts  is  very 
magnificent.  "These  gigantic  and  exquisitely  beautiful  ani- 
mals, which  are  admirably  formed  by  nature  1o  adorn  th^e 
forests  that  clothe  the  boundless  plains  of  the  interior,  are 
widely  distributed  throughout  the  interior  of  Southern  Africa, 
but  are  nowhere  to  be  met  with  in  great  numbers.  In 
countries  unmolested  by  the  intrusive  foot  of  man,  the  Girafle 
is  ibund  generally  in  herds  varying  from  twelve  to  sixteen ; 
but  I  have  not  uufrequently  met  with  herds  containing  thirty 
individuals,  and  on  one  occasion  I  counted  forty  together; 
this,  however,  was  owing  to  chance,  and  about  sixteen  may 
be  reckoned  as  the  average  number  of  a  herd.  These  herds 
are  composed  of  Giraffes  of  various  sizes,  frcm  the  young 
Giraffe  of  nine  or  ten  feet  in  height,  to  the  dark  chestnut 
coloured  old  bull  of  the  herd,  whose  exalted  head  towers 
above  his  companions,  generally  attaining  to  a  height  of  - 
upwards  of  eighteen  feet.  The  females  are  of  lower  stature, 
and  more  delicately  formed  than  the  males,  their  height 
averaging  from  sixteen  to  seventeen  feet.  Some  writers  have 
discovered  ugliness  and  a  want  of  grace  in  the  Girafle,  but  I 
consider  that  he  is  one  of  the  most  strikingly  beautiful 
animals  in  the  creation  ;  and  when  a  herd  of  them  is  seen 
scattered  through  a  grove  of  the  picturesque  parasol-topped 
acacias  which  adorn  their  native  plains,  and  on  whose  upper- 
most shoots  they  are  enabled  to  browse  by  the  colossal  height 
with  which  nature  has  so  admirably  endowed  them,  he  must, 
indeed,  be  slow  of  conception  who  fails  to  discover  both  grace 
and  dignity  in  all  their  movements.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  every  animal  is  seen  to  the  greatest  advantage  in  the 
haunts  which  nature  destined  him  to  adorn,  and  among  the 
various  living  creatures  which  beautify  creation.  I  have 
often  traced  a  remarkable  resemblance  between  the  animal 
and  the  general  appearance  of  the  locality  in  which  it  is 
found. 


148  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

"Ill  the  case  of  the  Giraffe,  which  is  invariably  met  with 
among  venerable  forests,  where  innumerable  blasted  and 
weather-beaten  trunks  and  stems  occur,  I  have  repeatedly 
been  in  doubt  as  to  the  presence  of  them,  until  1  had  recourse 
to  my  spy-glass ;  arid  on  referring  the  case  to  my  savage 
attendants  I  have  known  even  their  optics  to  fail,  at  one  time 
mistaking  these  dilapidated  trunks  for  camelopards,  and  again 
confounding  real  camelopards  with  these  aged  veterans  of  the 
forest."* 

The  movements  of  the  Giraffe  are  very  peculiar,  the  limbs 
of  each  side  appearing  to  act  together.  It  is  very  swift,  and 
can  outrun  a  horse,  especially  if  it  can  get  among  broken  ground 
and  rocks,  over  which  it  leaps  with  a  succession  of  frog-like 
hops. 

It  endures  the  climate  of  England  very  well.  In  the  Zoo- 
logical Gardens  in  London  are  several  Giraffes  which  were 
born  and  bred  in  that  country.  They  seem  very  healthy  and 
are  exceedingly  tame,  examining  the  hands  of  their  visitors,  and 
following  them  round  the  enclosure.  They  eat  herbs,  such  as 
grass,  hay,  carrots,  and  onions.  When  cut  grass  is  given  to 
them,  they  eat  off  the  upper  parts  and  leave  the  coarse 
stems. 


SKULL  OP  THE  GIRAFFE. 


THE   CAMEL. 

There  is  much  confusion  about  the  names  of  the  Camels. — 
The  BACTRIAN  CAMEL  is  distinguished  by  bearing  two  humps 
on  its  back,  the  ARABIAN  CAMEL  by  bearing  only  one.  The 
Arabian  camel  is  sometimes,  but  erroneously,  called  the  Dro- 
medary, as  the  Dromedary  or  El-Heirie  is  a  lighter  variety  of 
that  animal,  and  only  used  when  despatch  is  required. 

*  Cumming's  Adventures. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-family  c.    Camelina. 
CAMKU;S.  —  (Gr.  Ka//7/^of,  a  Camel.) 


Arabicus  (Lat.  Arabic),  the  Camd. 

The  Camel  forms  the  principal  wealth  of  the  Arab  :  without 
it  he  could  never  attempt  to  penetrate  the  vast  deserts  where 
it  lives,  as  its  remarkable  power  of  drinking  enough  water  at 
one  draught  to  serve  it  for  several  days  enables  it  to  march 
from  station  to  station  without  requiring  to  drink  by  the 
way.  The  peculiar  structure  of  its  stomach  gives  it  this  most 
useful  power.  In  its  stomach  are  a  great  number  of  deep 
cells,  into  which  the  water  passes,  and  is  then  prevented  from 
escaping  by  a  muscle  which  closes  the  mouth  of  the  cells. 
When  the  Camel  feels  thirsty,  it  has  the  power  of  casting  some 
of  the  water  contained  in  these  cells  into  its  mouth.  The 
habits  of  this  animal  are  very  interesting.  A  recent  traveller, 
the  Rev.  J.  H.  Pollen,  most  kindly  forwarded  to  me  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  and  amusing  account  of  the  habits  of  the 
Camel : — 


150  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

"  My  principal  experience  in  camels  has  been  during  rny 
travels  through  the  Arabian  desert.  I  followed,  after  some 
interval  of  time,  the  route  of  the  Hajji — the  Mecca  pil- 
grimage. 

"  The  temper  of  the  Camel  is  in  general  not  very  amiable. 
It  is  unwilling,  jealous,  and  revengeful  to  the  last  degree.  Of 
this  latter  quality  curious  tales  are  told  :  one,  which  was  fully 
believed  by  the  Arab  that  narrated  it  to  me,  was  as  follows. 
A  certain  camel  driver  had  bitterly  insulted  (i.  e.  thrashed  in 
some  ignominious  way,)  the  animal  under  his  charge.  The 
camel  showed  a  disposition  to  resent,  but  the  driver  knowing 
from  the  expression  of  its  eye  what  was  passing  within,  kept 
on  the  alert  for  several  days.  One  night  he  had  retired  for 
safety  inside  his  tent,  leaving  his  striped  abbaya  or  cloak 
spread  over  the  wooden  saddle  of  the  camel  outside  the  tent. 

"  During  the  night  he  heard  the  camel  approach  the  object, 
and  after  satisfying  himself  by  smell  or  otherwise  that  it  was 
his  master's  cloak,  and  believing  that  the  said  master  was 
asleep  beneath  it,  he  lay  down  and  rolled  backwards  and  for- 
wards over  the  cloak,  evidently  much  gratified  by  the  cracking 
and  smashing  of  the  saddle  under  his  weight,  and  fully  per- 
suaded that  the  bones  of  his  master  were  broken  to  pieces. 
After  a  time  he  rose,  contemplated  with  great  contentment 
the  disordered  mass,  still  covered  by  the  cloak,  and  retired. 

"  Next  morning,  at  the  usual  hour  for  loading,  the  master, 
who  had  from  the  interior  of  his  tent  heard  this  agreeable 
process  going  on,  presented  himself  to  the  camel.  The  dis- 
appointed animal  was  in  such  a  rage,  said  my  informant,  on 
seeing  his  master  safe  before  him,  that  he  broke  his  heart,  and 
died  on  the  spot. 

"  I  had  once  to  cross  a  very  high  range  of  rocks,  and  we 
had  very  great  difficulty  in  getting  our  camels  to  face  the 
steeper  part  of  the  ascent,  though  any  horse  would  have  made 
very  light  of  it.  All  the  riders  had  to  dismount,  and  the 
laden  animals  made  the  bare  rocky  solitudes  ring  to  the  con- 
tinual and  most  savage  growls  with  which  they  vented  their 
displeasure.  It  is  well  on  these  occasions  to  keep  out  of  reach 
of  their  long  necks,  which  they  stretch  out  and  bring  their 
teeth  within  dangerous  proximity  to  the  arm  or  side  of  any  one 
but  their  master. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  151 

"  While  being  laden  they  testify  their  dislike  to  any  packet 
which  looks  unsatisfactory  in  point  of  size  or  weight  as  it  is 
carried  past  them,  although  when  it  is  once  on  their  backs 
they  continue  to  bear  it  with  the  patient  expression  of  coun- 
tenance which  I  fear  passes  for  more  than  it  is  worth.  All 
camels  are  loaded  kneeling,  and  can  go  from  twenty-four  to 
sixty  hours  without  rest,  or  more  than  a  few  mouthfuls  of 
food,  which  they  can  crop  off  a  thorny  bush  as  they  pass,  or 
a  handful  of  barley  given  them  by  their  master.  Parts  of  the 
•desert  are  strewn  with  small  dry  drab-coloured  plants,  thorny 
and  otherwise,  which  the  camels  continue  to  crop  as  they  walk, 
jerking  the  rider  not  a  little. 

"  They  are  very  sparing  of  drinking.  I  have  taken  camels 
for  eleven  or  twelve  days  without  a  drop  of  water.  All  of 
them  did  not  drink  even  when  we  came  to  water,  nor  did  any 
drink  a  large  quantity,  or  seem  disturbed  by  the  want  of  it, 
although  the  sun  was  very  powerful,  and  we  travelled  twelve 
or  thirteen  hours  daily. 

"  At  first  they  are  difficult  to  ride.  The  rider  mounts  while 
the  animal  is  kneeling,  and  sits  like  a  lady,  with  the  right  leg 
round  the  fore  pommel  of  the  saddle.  In  rising,  the  Camel 
suddenly  straightens  its  hind-legs  before  moving  either  cf  the 
fore-legs,  so  that  if  the  rider  is  unprepared,  he  will  be  jerked 
over  its  ears.  It  moves  the  legs  of  each  side  alternately,  occa- 
sioning a  long  undulating  motion,  which  sways  the  rider  to 
arid  fro  from  the  loins.  The  motion,  however,  is  soon  learned, 
and  when  fatigued,  the  rider  can  change  sides,  or  shift  his  pos- 
ture in  various  ways. 

"  Sometimes  a  traveller  places  his  whole  family,  wife  and 
children,  in  one  pannier  fastened  to  the  saddle,  puts  himself  in 
another  pannier  fastened  on  the  opposite  side,  and  then  falls  in 
with  a  caravan  and  accompanies  it. 

"DROMEDARIES — the  finer  and  better  bred  Camels — have 
sparer  frames  and  more  endurance,  and  are  principally  led  by 
the  Bedouins  of  the  desert.  They  also  object  either  to  going 
up  or  down  a  hill. 

"  They  are  fond  of  kneeling  at  night  just  behind  the  ring  of 
Arabs  who  squat  round  the  fire,  and  they  stretch  their  heads 
over  their  masters'  shoulders  to  snuff  up  the  heat  and  smoke, 
which  seems  to  content  them  vastly. 


NATTKAL   HISTORY 


Bactriamis  (Lat.  Bactriaii),  the  Bnctrian  Cmin-l. 

"  Between  Cairo  and  Suez  I  saw  more  than  one  camel  dead 
or  dying.  They  seem  very  tenacious  of  life,  as  they  remain 
unable  to  rise  from  a  broken  limb  or  other  cause  for  very 
many  days.  I  more  than  once  wished  to  go  up  and  shoot 
the  poor  creatures  to  put  them  out  of  their  misery,  but  the 
Arabs  have  superstitious  notions  on  this  point,  and  would  not 
suffer  it.  I  did  once  find  a  camel  that  had  been  stabbed  by 
its  master,  and  once  only.  The  poor  beast  had  been  exhausted, 
and  the  long  broad  dagger  struck  into  his  heart.  It  must  have 
been  a  very  short  time  before  I  reached  the  spot,  as  the  blood 
was  almost  fresh. 

"  The  Camels  at  Grand  Cairo  are  remarkably  large  and 
powerful,  and  my  informant  told  me  that  they  are  very 
proud,  and  will  only  eat  their  food  from  their  master's  hand — 
preferring  to  starve  rather  than  receive  it  from  any  other 
source." 

The  foot  of  the  Camel  is  admirably  adapted  for  walking  on 
the  loose  sand,  being  composed  of  large  elastic  pads,  which 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


15:! 


spread  as  the  foot  is  placed  on  the  ground.  To  guard  it  when 
it  kneels  down  to  be  loaded,  the  parts  of  its  body  on  which 
its  weight  rests  are  defended  by  thick  callosities.  The  largest 
of  these  callosities  is  on  the  chest,  the  others  are  placed  on 
the  joints  of  the  legs. 

The  Bactrian  Camel  inhabits  Central  Asia,  Thibet,  and 
China.  It  is  distinguished  from  the  Arabian  camel  by  pos- 
sessing two  humps. 


LLAMA. — (Peruvian  name.) 


Paeos  (Peruvian),  the  Llama. 

The  LLAMAS,  of  which  there  are  several  species,  inhabit 
America,  and  are  used  for  the  same  purposes  as  the  camel. 
When  wild  they  are  very  timid,  and  fly  from  a  pursuer  the 
moment  that  they  see  him ;  but  their  curiosity  is  so  great  that 
the  hunter  often  secures  them  by  lying  on  the  ground  and 
throwing  his  legs  and  arms  about.  The  Llamas  come  to  see 
what  the  extraordinary  animal  can  be,  and  give  the  hunter 
an  opportunity  of  firing  several  shots,  which  the  astonished 
animals  consider  as  part  of  the  performance. 

The  Llamas,  like  the  camels,  have  a  series  of  cells  in  the 
stomach  for  containing  water,  and  can  go  for  several  days 


154  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

without  requiring  to  drink.  If  too  heavily  laden,  or  when 
they  are  weary,  they  lie  down,  and  no  threats  or  punishment 
will  induce  them  to  rise,  so  that  their  masters  are  forced  to 
unload  them.  When  offended  they  have  a  very  unpleasant 
habit  of  spitting  at  the  object  of  their  anger.  Formerly  it 
was  supposed  that  their  saliva  was  injurious,  aud  produced 
blisters  if  it  touched  the  skin. 

The  fleece  of  the  Llama  is  very  long  and  fine,  more  resem- 
bling silk  than  wool.  It  is  very  valuable,  and  is  extensively 
imported  into  this  country  for  the  purpose  of  making  cloth  and 
other  fabrics.  The  fleece  of  the  Alpaca  is  considered  the 
best,  as  it  is  sometimes  twelve  inches  in  length  and  very  fine. 

In  Chili  and  Peru  the  natives  domesticate  the  Llama,  which 
in  a  state  of  captivity  frequently  becomes  white.  It  is  by  no 
means  a  large  animal,  as  it  measures  about  four  feet  six  in 
height.  In  general  shape  it  resembles  the  camel,  but  has  no 
hump  on  its  btack,  and  its  feet  are  provided  with  sharp  hoofs 
for  climbing  the  rocky  hills  among  which  it  lives.  In  Peru, 
where  it  is  most  commonly  found,  there  are  public  shambles 
established  for  the  sale  of  its  flesh. 


Sub-family  d  Moschina. 
MOSCHUS. — (Gr.  Motr^of,  Musk.) 


Moschiferus  (Lat.  musk-bearing),  the  Musk-deer. 

The   MUSK-DEER   inhabits   many   parts   of  India,    and    is 
famous  for  the  scent  which  it  produces.     This  scent,  called 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Musk,  is  secreted  in  a  kind  of  pouch,  and  is  so  very  strong 

when   recent,   that  the  hunter,   after  killing  the    animal,   is 

forced  to  bind  his  mouth  and  nostrils  with  linen  before  ho 

ventures  to   open  the  pouch,   as  the  scent  is  so  intolerably 

powerful  that  it  causes  violent  bleeding  at  the  nose.     When 

the  merchants  traffic  for  musk,  they  remain  in  the  open  air, 

holding  a  handkerchief  over  their  faces, 

and  even  with  these  precautions  it  often 

causes  headaches.      The  musk  is  never 

imported  pure  into  this   country,  being 

always    adulterated   by    the  merchants. 

It  is  very  costly,  and  forms  an  important 

article  of  commerce  in  the  East.     The 

Musk-deer  is  about  two  feet  in  height  at 

the  shoulders.     The  male  possesses  two  extraordinarily  long 

teeth  in  the  upper  jaw,  which  project  from  the  lips  at  each  side* 

of  the  mouth. 


SKULL  OF  THE 


Sub-family  e.   Cervina. 
CERVUS. — (Lat.  a  Stag.) 


Capreolus  (Lat.  a  Wild  Suck),  the  Roebuck. 

The  ROEBUCK  was  formerly  common  throughout  the  whole 
of  England,  but  is  now  only  found  in  Scotland,  north  of  the 


!5G  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Forth.  It  is  the  least  and  most  beautiful  of  our  British  deer. 
It  is  not  at  all  adapted  for  confinement,  as  it  is  never  induced 
to  be  familiar  with  its  keeper,  and  will  sometimes  attack  any 
object  which  it  dislikes  with  its  horns  and  hoofs.  It  does  not 
live  in  herds  like  the  Fallow-deer,  but  singly,  or  in  pairs,  driv- 
ing off  its  young  when  they  are  about  nine  or  ten  months  old. 
It  is  very  cunning,  and  when  hunted,  sometimes  baffles  the 
dogs  by  making  a  few  enormous  leaps,  waiting  until  the  dogs 
have  passed,  and  then  returning  on  its  previous  track.  Its 
height  is  about  two  feet ;  its  horns  are  divided  into  three  small 
branches,  and  are  seldom  more  than  a  foot  in  length. 


Elaplms  (Gr.  "E^npof,  a  Stag),  the  Stag. 

The  RED-DEER,  or  STAG,  is  the  largest  of  our  deer.  In  the 
language  of  hunters,  it  bears  different  names  according  to  the 
size  of  its  horns,  which  increase  vear  by  vear.  All  the  male 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  J.T7 

deer  have  horns,  which  they  shed  every  year,  and  renew  again. 
The  process  of  renewal  is  most  interesting.  A  skin,  filled  with 
arteries,  covers  the  projections  on  which  the  horns  rest.  This 
skin,  called  the  "  velvet,"  is  engaged  in  continually  depositing 
bone  on  the  footstalks,  which  rapidly  increase  in  size.  As  the 
budding  horns  increase,  the  velvet  increases  also,  and  the  course 
of  the  arteries  is  marked  on  the  horn  by  long  furi'ows,  which 
are  never  obliterated.  When  the  horn  has  reached  its  full 
growth,  it  cannot  be  used,  as  the  velvet  is  very  tender,  and 
would  bleed  profusely  if  wounded.  The  velvet  cannot  be  sud- 
denly removed,  as  the  blood  that  formed  the  arteries  would  rush 
to  the  brain  and  destroy  the  animal.  A  ring  of  bone  forms 


(Janadensis  (Lat.  belonging  to  Canada),  the  Wapiti. 


round  the  root  of  each  horn,  leaving  passages  through  which 
the  arteries  pass.  By  degrees,  these  passages  become  narrow, 
and  finally  close  entirely,  thus  gradually  shutting  off"  the  blood. 
The  velvet,  being  deprived  of  its  nourishment,  dies,  and  is  peel- 


158 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


ed  off  by  the  doer,  by  rubbing  against  a  tree,  leaving  the  white 
hard  horn  beneath. 

Hunting  the  Stag  is  a  very  favourite  amusement  in  En- 
gland, and  packs  of  hounds,  called  Stag-hounds,  are  kept  ex- 
pressly for  that  purpose. 

The  WAPITI  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the  deer  tribe,  often 
growing  to  the  height  of  our  largest  oxen.  It  inhabits  Canada 
and  other  parts  of  North  America,  and  has  been  confounded  with 
the  Moose.  Its  horns  are  very  large,  measuring  nearly  six  feet 
from  tip  to  tip.  It  is  very  fierce,  and  boldly  attacks  an  antagonist. 


Axis. — (Lat.  the  Axis  Deer.) 


Maculata  (Lat.  spotted),  the  Axis. 

This  beautiful  Deer  is  an  inhabitant  of  India,  especially 
parts  by  the  Ganges.  It  has  frequently  been  domesticated  in 
England,  and  thrives  well  even  in  open  parks.  The  horns  are 
slender,  and  are  divided  into  three  branches.  Its  usual  colour 
is  a  fawn  yellow,  spotted  regularly  with  white,  and  a  black 
stripe  runs  down  the  back. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  159 

DAMA. — (Lat.  a  Deer.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Fallow-deer. 

The  FALLOW-DEER  are  usually  seen  in  parks,  where  they 
congregate  in  large  herds,  and  form  a  most  pleasing  addition 
to  the  landscape  when  they  are  seen  reposing  under  the  trees, 
or  chasing  one  another  in  graceful  play.  One  peculiarly 
large  buck  always  takes  the  lead,  and  suffers  none  but  a  few 
favourite  does  to  approach  his  regal  presence.  They  soon 
become  familiar  with  those  who  treat  them  with  kindness, 
and  will  eat  from  their  hands.  At  Magdalen  College,  Oxford, 
where  there  are  some  of  these  deer,  it  used  to  be  a  common 
practice  to  let  down  a  crust  of 
bread  by  a  string  from  one  of 
the  windows  that  overlooked  the 
park.  The  deer  would  speedily 
approach,  and  it  was  singular  to  HAIR  OP  DEER. 

see  how  they  would  take  a  large  crust  in  their  little  mouths, 
and  continue  to  bite  it  until  they  contrived  to  eat  the  whole 
of  it  without  once  letting  it  drop. 


160 


NATURAL  HISTORY 


Tarnndus,  the  Reindeer. 

The  REINDEER  is  found  throughout  the  Arctic  regions  of 
Europe,  Asia,  and  America.  The  finest  animals  are  those  of 
Lapland  and  Spitzbergen.  The  Laplander  finds  his  chief 
wealth  in  the  possession  of  the  Reindeer,  which  not  only 
serves  him  as  a  beast  of  burden,  but  furnishes  him  also  with 
food  and  clothing.  A  Laplander  in  good  circumstances  pos- 
sesses about  three  or  four  hundred  deer,  which  enable  him  to 
live  in  comfort.  The  subsistence  of  one  who  only  possesses 
one  hundred  is  very  precarious,  and  he  who  has  only  fifty, 
usually  joins  his  animals  with  the  herd  of  some  richer  man, 
and  takes  the  menial  labours  upon  himself. 

The  gadfly  (  (Estrus  Tarandi)  annoys  the  Reindeer  so  much, 
that  the  Laplander  is  forced  to  make  periodical  migrations 
to  the  mountains  in  order  to  escape  the  dreaded  gadfly,  and 
the  equally  dreaded  mosquitoes,  which  are  more  ferocious  in 
the  cold  clim:;tes  than  in  the  Tropics.  The  reindeer  feeds 


principally  on  a  kind  of  lichen,  which  it  scrapes  from  beneath 
the  snow.  During  the  winter,  its  coat  thickens,  and  assumes 
a  lighter  hue,  many  deer  being  almost  white.  Its  hoofs  are 
divided  very  high,  so  that  when  the  animal  places  its  foot  on 
the  ground,  the  hoof  spreads  wide,  and  as  it  raises  the  foot,  a 
snapping  noise  is  heard,  caused  by  the  parts  of  the  hoof  closing 
together.  When  harnessed  to  a  sledge,  it  can  draw  from  250 
to  300  pounds'  weight  at  about  ten  miles  an  hour. 


AI.CES. — (Or.  ''A/.Kij,  .-in  Elk.) 


Palmatus  (Lat.  palmed),  the  Elk. 

The  EUROPEAN  ELK  inhabits  the  northern  parts  of  Europe. 
It  was  considered  at  one  time  to  be  identical  with  the  Ameri- 
can Elk,  but  naturalists  now  believe  it  to  be  a  distinct  animal. 
Its  usual  pace  is  a  high  awkward  trot,  but  when  frightened, 
it  sometimes  gallops.  It  is  very  strong,  and  can  destroy  a 
wolf  with  a  single  blow  of  its  large  and  powerful  horns,  in 


1C2  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sweden  it  was  formerly  used  to  draw  sledges,  but  on  account 
of  the  facility  of  escape  offered  to  criminals  by  its  great  speed, 
I  he  use  of  it  was  forbidden  under  high  penalties.  The  skin  of 
the  Elk  is  so  tough  that  a  regiment  of  soldiers  was  furnished 
with  waistcoats  made  of  its  hide,  which  could  scarcely  be  pene- 
trated by  a  ball. 

Family  II.  Equidse. — (Lat.  Equus,  a  Horse.     Horse  kind.) 
EQUUS. 


Caballus  (Lat.  a  Saddle-horse.) 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Pachydermata,  or  thick-skinned  ani- 
mals, which  do  not  chew  the  cud.  The  first  on  the  list  is  the 
HORSE,  an  animal  too  well  known  in  all  its  varieties  to  need 
much  description.  The  ancient  war-horse,  so  magnificently 
described  in  the  book  of  Job,  is  well  represented  by  that  most 
wonderful  head  in  the  British  Museum,  a  fragment  from  the 
Temple  of  Minerva  at  Athens.  The  ancients  never  appeared 
to  ride  on  the  horse  to  battle,  but  to  fight  from  small  open 
chariots,  to  which  two  or  more  horses  were  harnessed. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  K;3 

The  Arabian  Horse  is  a  model  of  elegance  and  beauty. 
The  Arab  treats  his  horse  as  one  of  his  family  :  it  lives  in  the 
same  tent  with  him,  eats  from  his  hand,  and  sleeps  among 
his  children,  who  tumble  about  on  it  without  the  least  fear. 
Few  Arabs  can  be  induced  to  part  with  a  favourite  horse. 
The  Rev.  V.  Monro  relates  that  an  Arab,  "  the  net  value  of 
whose  dress  and  accoutrements  might  be  calculated  at  some- 
thing under  seventeen  pence  halfpenny,"  refused  all  offers 
made  to  purchase  a  beautiful  mare  on  which  he  rode,  and 
declared  that  he  loved  the  animal  better  than  his  own  life. 

The  plains  of  La  Plata  and  Paraguay  are  tenanted  by  vast 
herds  of  wild  horses.  These  are  captured  by  the  lasso,  bitted, 
mounted,  and  broken,  within  an  hour,  by  the  daring  and 
skilful  Gauchos. 

The  ponderous  and  powerful  dray-horse  is  of  the  Flanders 
breed.  These  huge  animals,  as  they  slowly  pace  along  the 
streets,  conducted  by  men  who  seem  to  be  a  Flanders  race  also, 
never  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  admiring  foreigners. 

Wales  and  the  Shetland  Isles  produce  a  breed  forming  a 
great  contrast  to  the  Flanders  horse.  The  Sheltie,  as  it  is 
called,  is  very  small,  its  height  sometimes  being  only  thirty- 
four  inches  ;  but  it  is  very  strong  and  sure-footed,  carrying  its 
rider  with  perfect  safety  along  the  most  terrific  precipices, 
and  almost  invariably  choosing  to  walk  on  the  very  edge. 

The  Race  Horse  is  supposed  to  have  been  originally  derived 
from  the  Arabian  breed.  The  Godolphin  Arabian,  and  the 
Flying  Childers,  are  two  of  the  most  celebrated  racers.  The 
skeleton  of  Eclipse,  another  celebrated  racer,  is  now  in  the 
Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford. 


THE  ASS. 

The  humble  and  hardy  Ass  is  scarcely  less  serviceable  to 
man  than  the  more  imposing  horse.  In  this  country,  where 
it  meets  with  harsh  treatment,  is  scantily  fed,  and  only  used 
for  laborious  tasks,  it  is  dull  and  obstinate ;  but  in  the  East, 
where  it  is  employed  by  the  rich  nobles  and  is  properly  treated, 
it  is  an  elegant  and  spirited  animal,  with  good  action  and 
smooth  coat.  White  asses  are  always  used  in  the  East  for  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
ASINUS. — (Lai.  an  Ass.) 

:"''1~- 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Ass. 

especial  service  of  bearing  persons  of  distinction,  a  custom  of 
great  antiquity,  as  appears  from  Judges  v.  10, — "Speak,  ye 
that  ride  on  white  asses." 


Dzigguetai,  the  Dzigguetai. 

In  Persia  and  other  countries  there  are  herds  of  wild  asses. 
They  are  so  fleet  that  no  horses  can  come  up  to  them,  and 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  165 

even  with  rifles  the  chase  is  very  uncertain.     The  Persians  es- 
teem its  flesh  very  highly,  considering  it  one  of  their  greatest 
'elicacies.    "Sir  R.  Ker  Porter  gives  an  amusing  account  of  an 
-•uccessful  chase  after  a  wild  ass,  which  he  could  not  over- 
&e,  although  mounted  on  a  very  swift  Arabian  horse.     This 
animal,  called  the  Dzigguetai,  is  also  found  in  India,  and  is 
quite  as  difficult  to  secure  as  its  relations  in  Persia. 

There  is  a  mixed  breed  between  the  Horse  and  the  Ass,  call- 
ed the  Mule,  an  animal  in  no  very  great  request  in  this  coun- 
try, but  extensively  used  in  the  East  for  riding,  and  in  Spain  it 
is  the  established  beast  of  burden.  It  is  very  surefooted,  and  is 
on  that  account  employed  in  the  Andes  instead  of  the  Llama. 


Zebra,  the  Zebra. 

The  ZEBRA  is  found  in  South  Africa.  Thisjbeautiful  ani- 
mal lives  in  troops  among  the  mountains,  shunning  the  pres- 
ence of  man.  It  is  a  very  conspicuous  animal,  and  easily  dis- 
tinguished by  the  regular  stripes  of  brownish  black  with  which 
its  whole  body  is  covered  even  down  to  the  hoofs.  It  is  very 
wild  and  suspicious,  carefully  placinjr  sentinels  to  look  out  for 


166  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

danger.  Notwithstanding  these  precautions  several  zebras  have 
been  taken  alive,  and  some,  in  spite  of  their  vicious  habits,  have 
been  trained  to  draw  a  carriage.  In  all  probability  it  might  be 
domesticated  like  the  ass,  as  the  black  cross  on  the  back  and 
shoulders  of  the  latter  animal  prove  the  affinity  between  them. 
The  voice  of  the  Zebra  is  very  peculiar,  and  can  hardly  be  de- 
scribed. 


Quagga,  the  Quagga. 

The  Q,UAGGA  is  also  a  native  of  South  Africa.  It  bears 
some  resemblance  to  the  Zebra,  but  is  at  once  distinguished 
from  tttat  animal  by  the  paucity  and  dulness  of  the  stripes, 
which  do  not  reach  to  the  hind  quarters  or  legs  at  all,  and 
only  faintly  mark  the  back,  its  head  and  neck  bearing  the 
deepest  stripes.  It  is  not  formed  quite  so  gracefully  as  the 
zebra,  its  hind  quarters  being  slightly  higher  than  its  shoulders. 
The  natives  occasionally  tame  it  for  the  purposes  of  draught, 
but  it  is  not  to  be  depended  on,  being  vicious  and  very  wild. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  167 


Family  III.  .  Elephantidse.  —  (Gr.  'EAe^a?,  an  Elephant.  Elephant  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Elephantina. 

ELEPHAS. 


Indicus  (Lat  Indian),  the  Indian  Elephant. 

Of  this  magnificent  animal,  whose  form  is  familiar  to  every 
eye,  two  species  are  known,  the  Indian  and  the  African.  The 
anatomy  of  this  huge  quadruped  is  well  worthy  of  consideration. 
Its  head  and  tusks  are  so  very  heavy  that  no  long  neck  would 
bear  them ;  the  neck  is  therefore  very  short.  But  this  short- 
ness of  neck  prevents  the  ELEPHANT  from  putting  its  head  to 
the  ground,  or  from  stooping  to  the  water's  edge.  This  appa- 
rent defect  is  compensated  by  the  wonderful  manner  in  which 
its  upper  lip  and  nose  are  elongated  and  rendered  capable  of 
drawing  up  water  or  plucking  grass.  In  the  proboscis  or  trunk 
there  are  about  forty  thousand  muscles,  enabling  the  Elephant 
to  shorten,  lengthen,  coil  up,  or  move  in  any  direction  this 
most  extraordinary  organ.  The  trunk  is  piercad  throughout 
its  length  by  two  canals,  through  which  liquids  can  be  drawn 


168  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

by  suction.  If  the  Elephant  wishes  to  drink,  after  drawing  the 
liquid  into  its  trunk  it  inserts  the  end  of  the  proboscis  into  its 
mouth,  and  discharges  the  contents  down  its  throat ;  but  if  it 
merely  wishes  to  wash  itself  or  play,  it  blows  the  contained 
liquid  from  the  trunk  with  great  violence.  Through  the 
trunk  the  curious  trumpet-like  voice  of  the  Elephant  is  pro- 
duced. At  the  extremity  is  a  finger-like  appendage,  with  which 
it  can  pick  up  small  objects.  lu  order  to  sustain  the  muscles 
of  the  jaw  and  neck  the  head  must  be  very  large :  were  it 
solid  it  would  be  very  heavy.  The  skull  is  therefore  foimed 
of  a  number  of  cells  of  bone,  forming  the  necessary  expanse 
without  the  weight,  leaving  but  a  very  small  cavity  for  the 
brain. 

The  Indian  Elephant  is  almost  invariably  taken  from  its 
native  haunts  and  then  trained.  The  Indian  hunters  proceed 
into  the  woods  with  two  trained  female  elephants.  These 
advance  quietly,  and  by  their  blandishments  so  occupy  the 
attention  of  any  unfortunate  male  that  they  meet,  that  the 
hunters  are  enabled  to  tie  his  legs  together  and  fasten  him  to 
a  tree.  His  treacherous  companions  now  leave  him  to  struggle 
in  impotent  rage,  until  he  is  so  subdued  by  hunger  and  fatigue 
that  the  hunters  can  drive  him  home  between  their  two  tame 
elephants.  When  once  captured  he  is  easily  trained.  Bribes 
of  sugar  and  arrack  a  kind  of  spirit,  are  the  usual  means  of 
inducing  an  Elephant  to  attempt  some  new  art  or  to  labour 
with  particular  assiduity.  In  its  wild  state  it  endeavours  to 
gratify  its  taste  for  sweets  at  the  expense  of  the  sugar  plant- 
ers. 

"  The  Elephant  has  a  natural  partiality  for  sugar,  which  he 
finds  abundant  means  to  gratify  in  the  plantations  of  sugar- 
cane. A  curious  instance  is  recorded  of  his  liking  for  sweet- 
meats, and  of  a  method  adopted  in  his  savage  state  to  gratify 
this  propensity.  It  chanced  that  a  Cooley,  laden  with  jaggery, 
which  is  a  coarse  preparation  of  sugar,  was  surprised  in  a 
narrow  pass  in  the  kingdom  of  Candy  by  a  wild  elephant. 
The  poor  fellow,  intent  upon  saving  his  life,  threw  down  the 
burthen,  which  the  elephant  devoured,  and  being  well  pleased 
with  the  repast,  determined  not  to  allow  any  person  egress  or 
ingress  who  did  not  provide  him  with  a  similar  banquet. 
The  pass  formed  one  of  the  principal  thoroughfares  to  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  1C9 

capital,  and  the  elephant,  taking  up  a  formidable  position  at 
the  entrance,  obliged  every  passenger  to  pay  tribute.  It  soon 
became  generally  known  that  a  donation  of  jaggery  would 
ensure  a  safe  conduct  through  the  guarded  portal,  and  no 
one  presumed  to  attempt  the  passage  without  the  expected 
offering." 

It  has  before  been  mentioned  that  the  Indian  elephant  is 
trained  for  tiger  hunting.  When  the  tiger  springs,  the  elephant 
always  raises  his  proboscis  out  of  reach  of  the  tiger's  claws  and 
teeth. 

In  captivity,  it  is  very  docile  and  gentle,  but  sometimes,  when 
provoked,  will  take  a  very  ample  revenge.  Of  this  propensity, 
many  anecdotes  are  told. 

"  A  very  characteristic  action  of  D' Jeck,  the  famous  elephant 
of  M.  Huguet,  was  lately  near  costing  the  life  of  a  young  man, 
a  native  of  Bruges.  The  elephant,  it  is  well  known,  is  very 
fond  of  sweetmeats,  and  this  young  man  amused  himself  at 
Madame  D'Jeck's  expense,  baulking  her  by  offering  her  some, 
which,  whenever  she  reached  out  her  trunk  to  take,  he  imme- 
diately withdrew.  This  trick  having  been  noticed  by  M.  Hu- 
guet, he  observed  to  the  young  man  how  foolish  such  conduct 
was  towards  an  animal  at  once  so  susceptible  and  vindictive. 
But  not  taking  warning  from  this  remark,  the  Belgian  again 
invited  the  elephant  to  approach,  and  not  only  again  deceived 
her,  but  gave  the  sweetmeats  to  Mademoiselle  Betsy.  Madame 
D'Jeck  now  lost  her  patience,  and,  regardless  of  the  presence 
of  her  master  and  a  numerous  assemblage  of  spectators,  lifted 
her  trunk  and  knocked  the  young  man  down,  tearing  open  his 
cheek,  and  rending  his  clothes  to  tatters.  Happily,  M.  Huguet 
interposed  his  authority,  and  the  elephant  left  her  hold,  but  the 
imprudent  sufferer  was  long  confined  to  his  bed  from  the  effects 
of  his  absurdity." 

The  tusks  and  teeth  of  the  elephant  furnish  exceedingly  fine 
ivory,  which  is  used  for  various  purposes,  such  as  knife  handles, 
combs,  billiard  balls,  &c.  Sometimes  a  musket  ball  has  been 
found  imbedded  in  the  tusk  without  any  aperture  or  mark  to 
show  how  it  got  there.  In  these  cases,  the  ball  has  penetrated 
the  root  of  the  tusk,  and  been  pushed  forward  by  successive 
growths  of  ivory,  as  the  tusk  increased  in  size.  A  spear  head 
has  been  found  in  the  same  position. 
H 


170  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

All  elephants  are  fond  of  the  water,  and  sometimes  submerge 
themselves  so  far  that  nothing  but  the  tip  of  their  proboscis  re- 
mains above  the  surface. 

The  following  account  of  Elephant  catching  in  Nepal  was 
sent  me  by  a  medical  gentleman  residing  at  Segouly. 

"  The  whole  batch,  tame  and  wild  ones,  then  rushed  into  a 
deep  river  close  by,  where  it  was"  a  splendid  sight  to  see  them 
swimming,  fighting,  diving,  plunging,  kicking  and  bellowing  in 
a  most  frantic  manner ;  the  mahouts  (the  riders  on  the  tame 
ones)  sticking  to  them  like  monkeys,  and  dexterously  taking  the 
opportunity  of  the  confusion  to  secure  the  dreaded  noose  round 
their  necks. 

"  One  of  the  wild  elephants  in  the  struggle  got  half  drowned, 
and  then  entirely  strangled  ;  she  just  staggered  to  the  shore, 
and  then  dropped  dead  without  a  struggle.  It  was  really 
quite  piteous  to  see  her  poor  little  young  one,  about  ten  days 
old ;  she  kept  walking  round  the  body,  pushing  it,  and  trying 
to  coax  her  dead  mother  to  rise  up ;  then  uttering  the  most 
heart-rending  cries,  and  lying  down  by  her  side  as  it  were  to 
comfort  her. 

"  When  the  contest  was  over,  and  the  other  elephants,  tame 
ones,  were  brought  up  near  the  corpse,  the  poor  little  thing 
with  the  most  indignant,  though,  of  course,  unavailing  valour, 
charged  on  all  sides  at  any  elephant  who  came  near,  deter- 
mined, evidently,  to  defend  its  mother,  even  though  dead,  to 
the  last.  The  tame  ones  of  course  were  too  sagacious  to  hurt 
it  with  their  tusks,  and  looked  on  with  the  most  curious  air  of 
pity  and  contempt,  as  they  gradually,  despite  its  violent  strug- 
gles, pushed  it  away  from  its  mother  to  a  place  where  it  could 
be  properly  secured  and  taken  care  of.  Really  its  moans  and 
endeavours  to  remain  with  its  mother  were  quite  affecting.  It 
is  too  young  to  be  weaned  with  safety,  and  will  probably  die ; 
at  least  I  am  very  much  afraid  so.  I  shall  always  feel  an  in- 
terest in  the  poor  little  animal  in  future,  should  it  live.  It  was 
so  devotedly  and  heroically  brave ;  never  attempting  to  leave 
its  mother,  in  order  to  procure  its  own  escape,  which  it  might 
easily  have  done  unseen  during  the  confusion." 

On  this  occasion  Jung  Bahadoor,  the  Nepaulese  ambassador, 
distinguished  himself  greatly  by  his  dexterity  and  courage,  and 
secured  several  elephants  with  his  own  hands. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  V71 


KLKPIIAS. 


Africanus  (Lat.  African),  the  African  Elephant. 

This  species  is  distinguished  frojn  the  Indian  Elephant  by 
the  markings  of  its  teeth  and  some  differences  in  form.  Much 
interesting  information  respecting  the  habits  of  this  animal  has 
been  given  by  Gumming,  from  whose  work  the  following  extracts 
are  taken  : — 

"  The  AFRICAN  ELEPHANT  is  widely  diffused  through  the  vast 
forests,  and  is  met  with  in  herds  of  various  numbers.  The 
male  is  very  much  larger  than  the  female  ;  consequently,  much 
more  difficult  to  kill.  He  is  provided  with  two  enormous  tusks. 
These  are  long,  tapering,  and  beautifully  arched ;  their  length 
averages  from  six  to  eight  feet,  and  they  weigh  from  sixty  to  a 
hundred  pounds  each. 

"  The  females,  unlike  Asiatic  elephants  in  this  respect,  are 
likewise  provided  with  tusks.  The  price  which  the  largest 
ivory  fetches  in  the  English  market  is  from  281.  to  32Z.  per 


172  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

hundred-and-twelve  pounds.  Old  bull  elephants  are  found 
singly  or  in  pairs,  or  consorting  together  in  small  herds,  vary- 
ing from  six  to  twenty  individuals.  The  younger  bulls  remain 
for  many  years  in  the  company  of  their  mothers,  and  these 
are  met  together  in  large  herds  of  from  twenty  to  a  hundred 
individuals.  The  food  of  the  Elephant  consists  of  the  branches, 
leaves,  and  roots  of  trees,  and  also  of  a  variety  of  bulbs,  of 
the  situation  of  which  he  is  advised  by  his  exquisite  sense  of 
smell.  To  obtain  these  he  turns  up  the  ground  with  his  tusks, 
and  whole  acres  may  be  seen  thus  ploughed  up.  Elephants 
consume  an  immense  quantity  of  food,  and  pass  the  greater 
part  of  the  day  and  night  in  feeding.  Like  the  whale  in  the 
ocean  the  Elephant  on  land  is  acquainted  with,  and  roams 
over,  wide  and  extensive  tracts.  He  is  extremely  particular 
in  always  frequenting  the  freshest  and  most  verdant  districts 
of  the  forests,  and  when  one  district  is  parched  and  barren  he 
will  forsake  it  for  years  and  wander  to  great  distances  in  quest 
of  better  pasture. 

"  The  Elephant  entertains  an  extraordinary  horror  of  man, 
and  a  child  can  put  a  hundred  of  them  to  flight  by  passing  at 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  windward ;  and  when  thus  disturbed, 
they  go  a  long  way  before  they  halt.  It  is  surprising  how 
soon  these  sagacious  animals  are  aware  of  the  presence  of  a 
hunter  in  their  domains.  When  one  troop  has  been  attacked, 
all  the  other  elephants  frequenting  the  district  are  aware  of  the 
fact  within  two  or  three  (Jays,  when  they  all  forsake  it,  and 
migrate  to  distant  parts." 

"  They  choose  for  their  resort  the  most  lonely  and  secluded 
depths  of  the  forest,  generally  at  a  very  great  distance  from 
the  rivers  and  fountains  at  which  they  drink.  In  dry  and 
warm  weather  tfclj^  visit  these  waters  nightly ;  but  in  cool 
and  cloudy  weather  they  drink  only  once  every  third  or  fourth 
day.  About  sundown  the  elephant  leaves  his  distant  midday 
haunt,  and  commences  his  march  towards  the  fountain,  which 
is  probably  from  twelve  to  twenty  miles  distant.  This  he 
generally  reaches  between  the  hours  of  nine  and  midnight; 
when,  having  slaked  his  thirst  and  cooled  his  body  by  spout- 
ing large  volumes  of  water  over  his  back  with  his  trunk,  he 
resumes  the  path  to  his  forest  solitudes.  Having  reached  a 
secluded  spot,  I  have  remarked  that  full-grown  bulls  lie  down 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  173 

on  their  broadsides,  about  the  hour  of  midnight,  and  sleep  for 
a  few  hours.  The  spot  which  they  usually  select  is  an  ant- 
hill, and  they  lie  around  it  with  their  backs  resting  against 
it ;  these  hills,  formed  by  the  white  ants,  are  from  thirty  to 
forty  feet  in  diameter  at  their  base.  The  mark  of  the  under 
tusk  is  always  deeply  imprinted  in  the  ground,  proving  that 
they  lie  upon  their  sides. 

"  The  appearance  of  the  wild  elephant  is  inconceivably 
majestic  and  imposing.  His  gigantic  height  and  colossal 
bulk,  so  greatly  surpassing  all  other  quadrupeds,  combined 
with  his  sagacious  disposition  and  peculiar  habits,  impart  to 
him  an  interest  in  the  eyes  of  the  hunter  which  no  other 
animal  can  call  forth.  The  pace  of  the  Elephant  when  undis- 
turbed is  a  bold,  free,  sweeping  step ;  and  from  the  peculiar 
spongy  formation  of  his  foot,  his  tread  is  extremely  light  and 
inaudible,  and  all  his  movements  are  attended  with  a  peculiar 
gentleness  and  grace. 

"  The  under  skin  is  of  a  tough  and  pliant  nature,  and  is 
used  by  the  natives  for  making  water  bags,  in  which  they 
convey  supplies  of  water  from  the  nearest  vley  or  fountain 
(which  is  often  ten  miles  distant).  They  remove  this  inner 
skin  with  caution,  taking  care  not  to  cut  it  with  the  assagai ; 
and  it  is  formed  into  water-bags  by  gathering  the  corners 
and  edges,  and  transfixing  the  whole  on  a  pointed  wand." 


SKULL  OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
Sub-family  b.  Tapirina. 


Terrestris  (Lat.  belonging  to  the  earth). 

The  TAPIR  forms  one  of  the  links  connecting  the  elephant 
•with  the  hog.  The  snout  is  lengthened  into  a  kind  of 
proboscis  like  that  of  the  elephant,  but  it  is  comparatively 
short,  and  has  no  finger-like  appendage  at  the  extremity. 
Many  of  the  remaining  links  are  supplied  by  the  various 
species  of  the  fossil  genus  Palseotherium. 

The  Common  Tapir  is  spread  throughout  the  warmer 
regions  of  South  America.  It  sleeps  during  the  day,  and 
wanders  about  at  night  in  search  of  its  food,  which  consists  of 
water  melons,  gourds,  and  other  vegetables.  It  is  very  fond 
of  the  water,  and  can  remain  below  the  surface  for  a  consi- 
derable period.  It  is  a  very  powerful  animal,  and  as  it  is 
furnished  with  a  very  thick  hide,  it  plunges  through  the 
brash  wood,  breaking  its  way  through  any  obstacles  that  may 
oppose  its  progress. 

Its  disposition  is  gentle,  but  when  annoyed  it  sometimes 
rushes  at  its  antagonist  and  defends  itself  vigorously  with 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


175 


its  powerful  teeth.  The  jaguar  frequently  springs  on  it,  but 
is  often  dislodged  by  the  activity  of  the  tapir,  who  rushes 
through  the  bushes  immediately  that 
it  feels  the  claws  of  its  enemy,  and 
endeavours  to  brush  him  off  against 
the  thick  branches.  The  height  of 
the  American  Tapir  is  from  five  to 
six  feet.  The  Malay  Tapir  is  some- 
what larger,  and  is  known  by  the 
greyish  white  colour  of  the  loins  and 
hind  quarters,  which  give  the  animal  an  appearance  as  if  a 
white  horsecloth  had  been  spread  over  it. 


SKULL  OF  THE  TAPIR. 


Sub-family  c.  Suina. 
Sus. — (Lat.  a  Sow.) 


Scrofa  (Lat.  an  old  Sow),  the  Soar. 

The  animals  composing  the  HOG  tribe  are  found  in  almost 
every  part  of  the  globe.  Their  feet  are  cloven  and  externally 
resemble  those  of  the  Ruminants,  but  an  examination  of  the 
bones  at  once  points  out  the  difference. 

The  WILD  HOG  or  BOAR  inhabits  many  parts  of  Europe, 
especially  the  forests  of  Germany,  where  the  chase  of  the 
wild  boar  is  a  common  amusement.  It  has  become  extinct 
in  this  country  for  many  years.  Its  tusks  are  terrible 


176  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

weapons,  and  capable  of  being  used  with  fatal  effect.  They 
curve  outwards  from  the  lower  jaw,  and  are  sometimes  eight 
or  ten  inches  in  length.  In  India,  where  the  Boar  attains  to 
a  great  size,  the  horses  on  which  the  hunters  are  mounted 
often  refuse  to  bring  their  riders  within  spear  stroke  of  the 
infuriated  animal,  who  has  been  known  to  kill  a  horse  and 
severely  injure  the  rider  with  one  sweep  of  its  enormous  tusks. 

The  DOMESTIC  HOG  scarcely  needs  any  description.  It  is 
by  no  means  the  unclean  and  filthy  animal  that  moralists  love 
to  represent  it.  It  certainly  is  fond  of  wallowing  in  the  mire,  as 
are  the  elephant,  tapirs,  &c.,  but  no  animal  seems  to  enjoy  clean 
straw  more  than  the  Hog.  We  shut  it  up  in  a  dirty  narrow 
crib,  give  it  any  kind  of  refuse  to  eat,  and  then  abuse  it  for 
being  a  dirty  animal  and  an  unclean  feeder.  While,  however, 
it  should  be  rescued  from  these  unjust  imputations,  it  should 
bear  the  weight  of  an  accusation  never  before  made.  I  have  seen 
pigs  suck-  the  cows  in  a  farmyard  while  they  were  lying  down 
and  chewing  the  cud,  nor  did  the  cows  attempt  to  repel  them. 


Babyroussa  (native  word,  Hog-deer),  the  Babyroussa, 

The  BABYROUSSA  inhabits  the  Molucca  Islands,  and  Java. 
It  is  remarkable  for  possessing  four  tusks,  two  of  which  pro- 
ceed from  the  upper  jaw,  and  do  not  pass  out  between  the  lips, 
but  through  an  aperture  in  the  skin,  half  way  between  the  end 
of  the  snout  and  eyes. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.  JRhinocerina. 
RHINOCEROS. — (Gr.  'Piv,  or  fa,  a  nose ;  Kepae,  a  horn.) 


Unicornis  (Lat.  Unus,  one;  cornu,  a  horn),  the  Rhinoceros. 

There  are,  apparently,  six  species  of  this  formidable  animal. 
Their  chief  peculiarity,  the  so-called  horn,  is  a  mass  of  fibres 
matted  together,  and  closely  resembling  the  fibres  of  whalebone. 
Their  feet  are  divided  into  three  toes,  incased  in  hoofs.  The 
best  description  of  the  various  species  of  the  AFRICAN  RHINOCEROS 
is  given  in  Cumming's  Adventures. 

"  Of  the  Rhinoceros  there  are  four  varieties  in  South  Africa, 
distinguished  by  the  Bechuanas  by  the  names  of  the  '  borele,' 
or  black  rhinoceros,  the  '  keitloa,'  or  two-horned  black  rhino- 
ceros, the  'muchocho,'  or  common  white  rhinoceros,  and  the 
'  kobaoba,'  or  long-horned  white  rhinoceros.  Both  varieties 
of  the  black  rhinoceros  are  extremely  fierce  and  dangerous, 
and  rush  headlong  and  unprovoked  at  any  object  which  at- 
tracts their  attention.  They  never  attain  much  fat,  and  their 
flesh  is  tough,  and  not  much  esteemed  by  the  Bechuanas. 


178  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

RHINOCEROS. 


Bicornis  (Lat.  bis,  twice;  cornu,  a  horn),  the  Two-Horned  Rhinoceros, 
or  Rhinaster. 

Their  food  consists  almost  entirely  of  the  thorny  branches  of 
the  wait-a-bit  thorns.  Their  horns  are  much  shorter  than 
those  of  the  other  varieties,  seldom  exceeding  eighteen  inches 
in  length.  They  are  finely  polished  with  constant  rubbing 
against  the  trees.  The  skull  is  remarkably  formed,  its  most 
striking  feature  being  the  tremendous  thick  ossification  in 
which  it  ends  above  the  nostrils.  It  is  on  this  mass  that  the 
horn  is  supported.  The  horns  are  not  connected  with  the 
skull,  being  attached  merely  by  the  skin,  and  they  may  thus 
be  separated  from  the  head  by  means  of  a  sharp  knife. 
They  are  hard,  and  perfectly  solid  throughout,  and  are  a  fine 
material  for  various  articles,  such  as  drinking  cups,  mallets 
for  rifles,  handles  for  turners'  tools,  &c.  &c.  The  horn  is 
capable  of  a  very  high  polish.  The  eyes  of  the  rhinoceros 
are  small  and  sparkling,  and  do  not  readily  observe  the 
hunter,  provided  he  keep  to  leeward  of  them.  The  skin  is 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  179 

extremely  thick,  and  only  to  be  penetrated  by  bullets  hardened 
with  solder.  During  the  day,  the  rhinoceros  will  be  found 
lying  asleep,  or  standing  indolently,  in  some  retired  part  of 
the  forest,  or  under  the  base  of  the  mountains,  sheltered  from 
the  power  of  the  sun  by  some  friendly  grove  of  umbrella-topped 
mimosas.  In  the  evening,  they  commence  their  nightly 
ramble,  and  wander  over  a  great  extent  of  country.  They 
usually  visit  the  fountains  between  the  hours  of  nine  and 
twelve  o'clock  at  night,  and  it  is  on  these  occasions  that  they 
may  be  most  successfully  hunted,  and  with  the  least  danger. 
The  black  rhinoceros  is  subject  to  paroxysms  of  unprovoked 
fury,  often  ploughing  up  the  ground  for  several  yards  with 
its  horn,  and  assaulting  large  bushes  in  the  most  violent 
manner.  On  these  bushes  they  work  for  hours  with  their 
horns,  at  the  same  time  snorting  and  blowing  loudly ;  nor  do 
they  leave  them  in  general  until  they  have  broken  them  into 
pieces.  All  the  four  varieties  delight  to  roll  and  wallow  in 
mud,  with  which  their  rugged  hides  are  generally  encrusted. 
Both  varieties  of  the  black  rhinoceros  are  much  smaller  and 
more  active  than  the  white,  and  are.  so  swift  that  a  horse 
with  a  rider  on  its  back  can  rarely  overtake  them.  The  two 
varieties  of  the  white  rhinoceros  are  so  similar  in  habits,  that 
the  description  of  one  will  serve  for  both,  the  principal  differ- 
ence consisting  in  the  length  and  set  of  the  anterior  horn  ;  that 
of  the  common  white  rhinoceros  averaging  from  two  to  three 
feet  in  length,  and  pointing  backwards  ;  while  the  horn  of  the 
long-horned  white  rhinoceros  often  exceeds  four  feet  in  length, 
and  inclines  forward  from  the  nose 

"  Both  these  varieties  of  rhinoceros  attain  an  enormous  size, 
being  the  animals  next  in  magnitude  to  the  elephant.  They 
feed  solely  on  grass,  carry  much  fat,  and  their  flesh  is  excellent, 
being  preferable  to  beef.  They  are  of  a  much  milder  and 
more  inoffensive  disposition  than  the  black  rhinoceros,  rarely 
charging  their  pursuer.  Their  speed  is  very  inferior  to  that  of 
the  other  varieties,  and  a  person  well-mounted  can  overtake  and 
shoot  them."  The  description  of  the  famous  rhinoceros  birds 
is  very  interesting. 

"  Before  I  could  reach  the  proper  distance  to  fire,  several 
'  rhinoceros  birds,'  by  which  he  was  attended,  warned  him  of 
his  impending  danger,  by  sticking  Iheir  bills  into  his  ear.  and 


180  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

uttering  their  harsh,  grating  cry.  Thus  aroused,  he  suddenly 
sprang  to  his  feet,  and  crashed  away  through  the  jungle  at  a 
rapid  trot,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  him 

"  These  rhinoceros  birds  are  constant  attendants  upon  the 
hippopotamus  and  the  four  varieties  of  rhinoceros,  their  object 
being  to  feed  upon  the  ticks  and  other  parasitic  insects  that 
swarm  upon  these  animals.  They  are  of  a  greyish  colour,  and 
are  nearly  as  large  as  a  common  thrush :  their  voice  is  very 
similar  to  that  of  the  mistletoe  thrush.  Many  a  time  have 
these  ever-watchful  birds  disappointed  me  in  my  stalk,  and 
tempted  me  to  invoke  an  anathema  upon  their  devoted  heads. 
They  are  the  best  friend  the  rhinoceros  has,  and  rarely  fail  to 
awaken  him,  even  in  his  soundest  nap.  '  Chukuroo'  perfectly 
understands  their  warning,  and,  springing  to  his  feet,  he  gener- 
ally first  looks  about  him  in  every  direction,  after  which  he 
invariably  makes  off." 

The  Indian  Rhinoceros  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  very 
deep  foldings  of  the  skin.  Goblets,  made  of  its  horn,  were 
formerly  in  high  estimation  as  preservatives  against  poison. 
The  Indian  kings  were  accustomed  to  have  their  wine  served 
up  in  these  goblets,  as  they  imagined  that  if  any  poison  were 
introduced  into  the  cup,  the  liquid  would  boil  over,  and  betray 
its  presence. 

The  upper  lip  is  used  by  the  rhinoceros  as  an  instrument  of 
prehension,  with  which  it  can  grasp  the  herbage  on  which  it 
feeds,  or  pick  up  small  fruit  from  the  ground.  The  very  tame 
rhinoceros  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  will  take  a  piece  of  bun 
or  biscuit  from  a  visitor's  hand,  by  means  of  its  flexible  upper 
lip. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  e.  Hippopotamina. 
HIPPOPOTAMUS. — (Gr.  iTTTrof,  a  Horse;  7rora/z6f,  a  River.) 


181 


Amphibius  (Gr.  'A/j,<j>i  fitou),  the  Hippopotamus. 

There  is,  in  all  probability,  but  one  species  of  the  HIPPO- 
POTAMUS. It  inhabits  Africa  exclusively,  and  is  found  in  plenty 
on  the  banks  of  many  rivers,  where  it  may  be  seen  gamboling 
and  snorting  at  all  times  of  the  day. 

They  are  quiet  and  inoffensive  while  undisturbed,  but  if 
attacked  they  unite  to  repel  the  invader,  and  have  been  known 
to  tear  several  planks  from  the  side  of  a  boat,  and  sink  it. 
They  can  remain  about  five  or  six  minutes  under  water,  and 
when  they  emerge  they  make  a  loud  and  very  peculiar  snorting 
noise,  which  can  be  heard  at  a  great  distance. 

The  hide  is  very  thick  and  strong,  and  is  chiefly  used  for 
whips.  The  well-known  "  cow-hides"  are  made  of  this  mate- 
rial. Between  the  skin  and  flesh  is  a  layer  of  fat,  which  is 
salted  and  eaten  by  the  Dutch  colonists  of  Southern  Africa. 
When  salted  it  i%«alled  Zee-koe  speck,  or  Sea-cow's  bacon- 
The  flesh  is  also  in  some  request. 


182  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  Hippopotamus  feeds  entirely  on  vegetable  substances,  such 
as  grass  and  brushwood.  The  fine  animal  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Zoological  Society  eats  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  not 
disdaining  roots.  This  animal  is  peculiarly  interesting  from 
being  the  first  Hippopotamus  brought  to  Europe  for  many 
hundred  years,  and  in  all  probability  the  first  that  has  ever 
reached  this  country. 

In  Harris's  Sports  of  South  Africa,  a  very  good  and  accurate 
account  is  given  of  the  habits  of  the  Hippopotamus. 

"  This  animal  abounds  in  the  Limpopo,  dividing  the  empire 
with  its  amphibious  neighbour  the  crocodile.  Throughout 
the  night  the  unwieldly  monsters  might  be  heard  snorting 
and  blowing  during  their  aquatic  gambols,  and  we  not  unfre- 
quently  detected  them  in  the  act  of  sallying  from  their  reed- 
grown  coverts,  to  graze  by  the  serene  light  of  the  moon  ; 
never,  however,  venturing  to  any  distance  from  the  river, 
the  stronghold  to  which  they  betake  themselves  on  the  small- 
est alarm.  Occasionally,  during  the  day,  they  were  to  be  seen 
basking  on  the  shore,  amid  ooze  and  mud ;  but  shots  were 
most  constantly  to  be  had  at  their  uncouth  heads,  when  pro- 
truded from  the  water  to  draw  breath  ;  and,  if  killed,  the 
body  rose  to  the  surface.  Vulnerable  only  behind  the  ear,  how- 
ever, or  the  eye,  which  is  placed  in  a  prominence,  so  as  to 
resemble  the  garret  window  of  a  Dutch  house,  they  require 
the  perfection  of  rifle  practice,  and  after  a  few  shots  become 
exceedingly  shy,  exhibiting  the  snout  only,  and  as  instantly 
withdrawing  it.  The  flesh  is  delicious,  resembling  pork  in 
flavour,  and  abounding  in  fat,  which  in  the  colony  is  de- 
servedly esteemed  the  greatest  of  delicacies.  The  hide  is  up- 
wards of  an  inch  and  a  half  in  thickness,  and  being  scarcely 
flexible,  may  be  dragged  from  the  ribs  in  strips  like  the  planks 
from  a  ship's  side." 

Gumming  relates  that  the  track  of  the  Hippopotamus  may 
be  distinguished  from  that  of  any  other  animal  by  a  line  of 
unbroken  herbage  which  is  left  between  the  marks  of  the  feet 
of  each  side,  as  the  width  of  the  space  between  the  right  and 
left  legs  causes  the  animal  to  place  its  feet  so  considerably 
apart,  as  to  make  a  distinct  double  track. 

This  is  supposed  by  many  to  be  the  anirqjj  called  Behemoth 
in  Scripture. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family  IV.  Bradypidse — (Gr.  Bpadvf,  slow ;  TTOVG,  a  foot.) 
BRADYPUS. 


Tridactylus  (Gr.  TpiduK-rvhoc,  three-fingered),  the  Sloth. 

The  Edentata  include  the  ant-eaters  and  the  pangolins  which 
possess  no  teeth  at  all,  and  the  sloths,  armadillos,  &c.,  whose 
teeth  are  small  and  of  peculiar  structure. 

The  SLOTHS  form  the  first  division  of  the  Edentata — the 
leaf-eaters. 

The  Sloth  or  Ai  is  another  example  of  the  errors  into  which 
even  great  naturalists  are  led  from  hasty  observation.  The 
great  Cuvier  himself  condemns  the  Sloth  as  a  degraded  and 
miserable  animal,  moving  with  pain,  and  misshapen  in  form. 
Yet  no  animal  is  more  fitted  for  its  position  than  the  Sloth. 
"  The  Sloth,"  says  Waterton,  "  in  its  wild  state  spends  its 
whole  life  in  the  trees,  and  never  leaves  them  but  through 
force  or  accident,  ^»id  what  is  more  extraordinary,  not  upon 
the  branches,  like  the  squirrel  and  monkey,  but  under  them. 


184 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


He  moves  suspended  from  the  branch,  he  rests  suspended 
from  the  branch,  and  he  sleeps  suspended  from  the  branch. 
Hence  his  seemingly  bungled  composition  is  at  once  accounted 
for." 

To  render  it  fit  for  this  singular  mode  of  life,  its  long  and 
powerful  arms  are  furnished  with  strong  curved  claws,  which 
hook  round  the  branches,  and  keep  the  animal  suspended 
without  any  effort.  When  on  the  ground,  these  claws  are 
very  inconvenient,  and  it  can  barely  shuffle  along ;  but  when 
it  is  among  its  native  branches,  it  moves  with  exceeding  rapid- 
ity, particularly  in  a  gale  of  wind,  when  it  passes  from  branch 
to  branch  and  from  tree  to  tree  with  an  activity  which  its  move- 
ments on  the  ground  by  no  means  portend. 


Family  V. . .  DASYPID^. — (Gr.  Aaavc,  hairy;  Troiif,  afoot.  Hairy-footed.) 
Sub-family  a.  Manina. 


Totradactyla  (Gr.  TerpaduKTvloe,  four-fingered),  the  Phatagin,  or  Long- 
tailed  Manis. 

The  MANIDJE  or  PANGOLINS  are  immediately  known  by  the 
peculiar,  strong,  horny  plates  with  which  their  bodies  are  de- 
fended, giving  them  the  appearance  of  an  Animal  enveloped  in 
a  suit  of  scale  armour.  When  attacked,  they  roll  themselves 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  185 

up,  wrap  their  tails  round  them,  and  raise  the  whole  array  of 
sharp-edged  scales  with  which  their  body  is  covered,  and  hid 
defiance  to  almost  any  enemy  except  man.  They  live  on  ants 
and  termites,  or  white  ants,  as  they  are  called,  which  they  take 
by  thrusting  their  long  slender  tongue  among  the  ants,  which 
adhere  to  it  by  a  gummy  saliva.  When  the  tongue  is  covered 
it  is  rapidly  retracted,  and  the  ants  swallowed.  To  obtain  the 
ants  the  Pangolins  are  furnished  with  powerful  claws  to  tear 
down  the  dwellings  of  their  prey. 

The  Long-tailed  Manis  is  widely  scattered  through  Africa, 
but  is  not  very  common.  The  length  of  its  body  is  about  two 
feet,  and  that  of  its  tail  rather  more  than  three. 


Pentadactyla  (Gr. 


ve-fingered),  the  Short-tailed  Mani 


The  Short-tailed  Manis,  or  Bajjerkeit,  is  very  common  in 
India.     Its  entire  length  is  about  four  feet. 


THE   ARMADILLO. 

The  ARMADILLOS  live  exclusively  in  the  warmer  parts  of 
America.  They  eat  carrion,  insects,  and  sometimes  fallen 
fruit.  The  armour  that  covers  them,  instead  of  resembling 
scale  armour  like  that  of  the  Manis,  forcibly  reminds  the 
observer  of  the  modified  plate  armour  worn  in  the  time  of 
Charles  I.  They  burrow  with  great  rapidity,  and  can  only 


MATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  b.  Dasypina. 
DASYPUS. — (Gr.  Aa<rvf,  hairy;  irov$,  a  foot.) 


Sexcinctus  (Lat.  six-banded),  the  Armadillo. 

be  forced  from  their  refuge  by  smoke  or  water.  The  natives 
and  colonists  consider  them  great  delicacies  when  roasted  in 
their  shells. 

The  Armadillos  are  all  small  except  the  Gigantic  Armadillo, 
which  is  well  described  in  the  following  extract.  "  I  found 
that  an  Armadillo  of  gigantic  size  had  caused  the  commotion. 
It  was  lying  a  round,  misshapen  mass,  its  head  partly  buried 
under  its  armour,  the  feet  drawn  together,  and  its  body  pierced 
by  numerous  arrows.  It  offered  not  the  slightest  resistance  to 
its  tormentors,  whom  I  desired  to  end  its  sufferings  by  a  heavy 
stroke  of  a  club.  Two  men  were  required  to  carry  it,  and 
Mr.  Schomburgh  estimated  its  weight  at  from  110  to  120 
pounds ;  its  height  was  about  three  feet,  its  length  five  and  a 
half.  Its  tail  was  about  fourteen  or  sixteen  inches  long,  and 
its  root  nearly  as  thick  as  a  man's  thigh,  tapering  very  ab- 
ruptly. The  middle  one  of  the  five  toes  of  the  fore  foot  was 
seven  and  a  half  inches  in  length.  In  size  it  greatly  surpasses 
the  largest  Giant  Armadillo  known  (Dasypus  giganteus, 
Desm.),  though  Mr.  Schomburgh  does  not  mean  to  assert  it  is 
a  different  species  from  the  giganteus ;  yet  its  enormous  size 
will  attract  the  attention  of  naturalists  and  geologists  to  the 
fossil  genera." 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


187 


Sub-family  c.  Myrmecophagina. 
MYRMECOPHAGA. — (Gr.  Mvp/ij?? ,  an  Ant ;  <j>ayetv,  to  eat.) 


Jubata  (Lat.  crested),  the  Ant-eater. 

This  curious  animal  inhabits  Guiana,  Brazil,  and  Paraguay. 
As  its  name  imports,  it  lives  principally  upon  ants  and 
termites,  which  it  procures  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as 
was  related  of  the  Manis.  It  short  legs  and  long  claws 
would  lead  an  observer  to  suppose  that  its  pace  was  slow  and 
constrained.  "When  chased,  however,  it  runs  off  with  a 
peculiar  trot,  and  with  such  rapidity,  that  it  keeps  a  horse  to 
its  speed  to  overtake  it.  Schomburgh  relates  that  a  tame 
ANT-EATER,  in  his  possession,  by  no  means  restricted  itself  to 
ants,  but  devoured  meat,  when  minced,  with  much  avidity. 
The  same  naturalist  also  discovered  a  Julus,  or  Millipede,  in 
the  stomach  of  an  ant-eater,  which  he  dissected.  The  ordinary 
length  of  this  animal  is  about  three  feet  seven  inches,  and  its 
height  about  three  feet. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Didactyla  (Gr.  AidaKTvTios,  two-fingered),  the  Little  Ant-eater. 

The  LITTLE  ANT-EATER  also  inhabits  Guiana  and  Brazil. 
The  principal  characteristics  of  this  animal  are  the  shortness 
of  its  muzzle,  and  the  prehensile  power  of  its  tail,  which  it 
twists  round  the  branches  on  which  it  principally  resides.  It 
often  attacks  the  nests  of  wasps,  pulling  them  to  pieces  with 
its  claws,  and  devouring  the  grubs.  The  length  of  its  body  is 
ten  inches. 


THE    DUCK-BILLED    PLATYPUS. 

Australia,  where  everything  seems  to  be  reversed,  where 
the  thick  end  of  a  pear  is  next  the  stem,  and  the  stone  of  a 
cherry  grows  outside,  is  the  residence  of  this  most  extraordinary 
animal.  When  it  was  first  introduced  into  Europe  it  was 
fully  believed  to  be  the  manufacture  of  some  impostor,  who 
with  much  ingenuity  had  fixed  the  beak  of  a  duck  into  the 
head  of  some  unknown  animal. 

It  lives  by  the  banks  of  rivers,  in  which  it  burrows  like  the 
water  rat.  It  feeds  upon  water  insects  and  shell-fish,  always 
rejecting  the  crushed  shells  after  swallowing  the  inhabitant. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.   Ornithorhynchina. 
ORNITHORHYNCUS. — (Gr.  Opvif,  a  bird;  f>vy%o$,  a  snout.) 


Paradoxus  (Lat.  puzzling),  the  Duck-billed  Platypus. 

Mr.  Bennet  attempted  to  rear  some  young  ORNITHORYNCHI 
at  Sydney,  but  they  died  in  a  short  time.  They  were  very 
fond  of  climbing  between  a  press  and  the  wall,  placing  their 
backs  against  the  press  and  their  feet  against  the  wall.  They 
used  to  dress  thfeir  fur  with  their  beak  and  feet,  just  as  a  duck 
prunes  its  feathers. 

The  male  has  a  spur  on  its  hind  feet. 


SKULL  OF  THK  PLATYPUS. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Class  II. ...  AVES.— (Lat.  Birds.) 
Order  I. ...  ACCIPIT2tES.—(Lfit  Hawks.) 
Sub-order  I.  ACCIPITRES  D*[URNI. — (Lat.  Haieks  of  the  day.) 
Family  I. . .  Gypaetidse. — (Gr.  Tity  a  Vulture ;  'Aerof ,  an  Eagle. 
Vulture-eagle  kind.) 

GYPAETU8. 


Barbatus  (Lat.  bearded),  the  Bearded  Vulture  or  Lammergeyer. 

BIRDS  are  immediately  distinguished  from  the  Mammalia  hy 
their  general  form,  their  feathery  covering,  and  by  producing 
their  young  enclosed  in  eggs. 

The  different  orders  of  birds  are  principally  known  by  the 
character  of  the  claws  and  beak,  examples  of  which  will  be 
seen  in  the  progress  of  the  work.  Before  we  pay  attention  to 
any  individual  species,  we  will  first  examine  some  of  the  struc- 
tures common  to  all  birds. 

One  of  the  first  great  marks  of  distinction  in  birds  is  the 
wing.  This  organ  is  a  modification  of  the  arm  or  forelimb  of 
mammalia,  clothed  with  feathers  instead  of  hair. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


191 


The  bones  of  adult  birds  are  not  filled  with  marrow  like 
the  bones  of  mammalia,  but  are  hollow  and  filled  with  air, 
and  are  therefore  rendered  very  light,  a  bone  of  a  goose  being 
barely  half  the  weight  of  a  rabbit's  bone  of  the  same  size,  after 
the  marrow  has  been  extracted.  In  this  formation,  strength 
as  well  as  lightness  is  consulted,  as  a  tubular  rod  is  well 
known  to  be  very  much  stronger  than  the  same  quantity  of 
matter  formed  into  a  solid  bar.  The  bones  forming  the  wing 
are  worthy  of  notice  for  the  beautiful  manner  in  which  they 
are  jointed  together,  and  arranged  so  as  to  give  great  strength 
together  with  lightness.  In  the  following  figure,  the  limbs  of 
a  man  and  of  a  bird  are  compared,  the  corresponding  divisions 
of  each  being  marked  by  similar  letters. 


As  many  important  characteristics  are  drawn  from  the 
plumage,  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  a  figure,  (p.  192,)  exhibit- 
ing the  feathers  of  the  different  parts,  together  with  their  names : 
— A,  primaries,  or  great  quill  feathers  of  the  wing  ;  B,  seconda- 
ries ;  c,  tertials  ;  D,  lesser  coverts  ;  E,  greater  coverts ;  F,  winglet, 
or  bastard  wing  ;  G,  scapularies ;  H,  upper  tail  coverts  ;  i,  under 
-tail  coverts  ;  K,  rectrices  or  tail-feathers. 
~"  In  the  above  engraving^  is  also  a  figure,  showing  the  method 
by  which  birds  hold  on  The  perch  while  sleeping.  It  will  be 
seen  that  the  great  tendon  A,  which  is  connected  with  all  the 
toes  or  claws,  passes  over  the  joints  in  such  a  manner  that 
when  the  leg  is  bent,  the  tendon  is  shortened  and  the  claws 
drawn  together,  so  that  the  weight  of  the  bird  while  perched, 
pressing  on  the  tendon,  holds  it  firmly  on  the  branch.  This 


192 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


action  of  the  tendon  is  easily  observed  by  watching  a  common 
fowl  walk.  At  each  step  that  it  makes,  on  lifting  its  foot,  the 
claws  are  seen  to  be  drawn  together.  When  an  eagle  wishes 
to  drive  his  claws  into  its  prey,  he  perches  on  it,  and  then  sinks 
down  with  the  whole  weight  of  his  body,  by  which  movement 
the  tendon  is  shortened  and  the  claws  forcibly  pressed  to- 
gether. 


As  the  wing  presents  a  very  broad  surface  to  the  air,  it  is 
necessary  that  very  powerful  muscles  must  be  used  to  move  it 
with  sufficient  rapidity.  The  pectoral  muscles  are  therefore 
enormously  developed,  extending  almost  the  whole  length  of 
the  body,  as  every  one  who  has  carved  a  fowl  must  have  seen, 
and  in  order  to  form  an  attachment  for  these  immense  muscles, 
the  ridge  of  the  breast-bone  is  equally  enlarged.  It  is  the  want 
of  these  enlarged  muscles  that  prevents  man  from  flying,  even 
when  he  has  attached  wings  to  his  arms. 


CLAW  AND  BEAK  OF  RAPACIOUS  BIRD. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  193 

The  LAMMERGEYER  (Germ.  Lambs -eagle),  or  BEARDED  VUL- 
TURE, inhabits  most  mountain  ranges,  and  is  very  common  in 
the  Alps  of  Switzerland,  and  Germany,  where  from  its  depre- 
dations on  the  kids  and  lambs,  it  has  earned  its  name  of  Lam- 
mergeyer. 

Although  called  the  "Bearded"  Vulture,  it  is  not  strictly  a 
vulture,  as  its  head  and  neck  are  feathered,  and  it  rejects  putrid 
flesh,  unless  hard  pressed  by  hunger. 

It  destroys  hares,  and  young  or  sickly  sheep  and  goats,  nor, 
when  rendered  fierce  by  hunger,  does  it  fear  to  attack  the 
adult  chamois,  or  even  man.  It  is  said  to  destroy  the  larger 
animals  by  watching  until  they  are  near  the  brink  of  a  preci- 
pice, and  then  suddenly  driving  them  over  the  rocks  by  an  un- 
expected swoop.  In  this  manner  the  strong  and  swift  chamois 
falls  a  victim  to  the  craft  of  its  winged  foe,  and  instances  are 
not  wanting  where  the  chamois  hunter  himself  has  been  struck 
from  a  narrow  ridge  into  the  valley  beneath  by  a  blow  from 
this  ferocious  bird. 

It  is  exceedingly  bold,  and  shows  but  little  fear  of  man.  While 
Bruce  was  preparing  his  dinner  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain, 
one  of  these  birds,  after  scalding  its  feet  in  several  unavailing 
attempts  to  extract  some  meat  out  of  the  boiling  water,  actually 
seized  a  piece  from  a  platter,  and  went  off  with  it. 

The  name  of  "  Bearded"  Vulture  is  given  to  it  on  account 
of  the  long  tuft  of  hairs  with  which  each  nostril  is  clothed. 
The  length  of  its  body  is  about  four  feet,  and  the  expanse  of 
its  wings  from  nine  to  ten.  The  second  and  third  primary 
feathers  are  the  longest. 

It  lays  two  eggs, — white,  marked  with  brown  blotches. 


THE    CONDOR. 

The  SarcorhamphidsB  are  distinguished  by  a  fleshy  tuft 
growing  on  their  beaks,  somewhat  resembling  the  wattles  of  a 
turkey.  The  genus  Sarcorhamphos  includes  the  Condor,  the 
King  Vulture,  and  the  California!!  Vulture.  These  birds  are 
distinguished  by  the  wattles  on  their  beaks,  their  naked  necks, 
and  the  size  of  the  nostrils.  The  third  primary  feather  is  the 
longest. 

I 


194  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  II.  Sarcorhamphidse. — (Gr.  Sap£,  flesh;  fiuftQof,  beak.) 


SARCOKHAMrilOS. 


Gryphon  (Gr.  Tpvip,  a  Griffon),  the  Condor. 

The  CONDOR  inhabits  the  Andes  of  South  America,  always 
choosing  its  residence  on  the  summit  of  a  solitary  rock.  It  ap- 
pears that  this  hird  does  not  build  any  nest,  but  lays  its  two 
white  eggs  on  the  bare  rock  after  the  manner  of  many  sea 
birds.  It  is  a  very  large  bird,  but  by  no  means  the  gigantic 
creature  some  former  naturalists  relate,  with  wings  twenty 
feet  in  length,  and  powerful  enough  to  carry  off  a  horse.  The 
real  expanse  of  wing  is  about  nine  or  ten  feet,  and  the  length 
of  the  bird  about  four  feet.  It  is,  however,  exceedingly  strong 
and  very  tenacious  of  life.  Two  Condors  will  attack  and  kill 
the  llama,  or  even  the  puma ;  for  by  their  repeated  buffeting 
and  pecking  they  weary  it  so  completely  that  it  yields  to  their 
perseverance. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  195 

SARCORHAMPHOS. 


Papa,  the  King  Vulture. 

The  KING  VULTURE  is  also  a  native  of  South  America,  seldom 
if  ever  being  seen  north  of  Florida.  Travellers  relate  that  this 
species  keeps  the  other  vultures  under  subjection,  and  does  not 
suffer  them  to  approach  a  dead  animal  until  he  has  complete- 
ly satisfied  his  own  appetite,  which  is  certainly  none  of  the 
smallest. 


We  now  arrive  at  the  true  VULTURES.  These  birds  are  the 
representatives  of  the  carrion-devouring  animals,  such  as  the 
hyenas,  wild  dogs,  &c.  They  however  do  not,  as  the  hyenas 
and  wild  dogs,  attack  living  animals.  The  neck  of  the  Vulture 
is  almost  naked,  very  slightly  sprinkled  with  down,  and  from 
the  formation  of  the  lower  part  of  the  neck,  the  bird  is  enabled 
to  draw  its  head  almost  under  the  feathers  of  its  shoulders,  so 
that  a  hasty  observer  would  conclude  that  the  creature  had  no 
neck  at  all. 

The  marvellous  quickness  with  which  the  vultures  discover 
a  dead  animal  has  caused  many  discussions  among  naturalists 
as  to  the  sense  employed  ;  some,  as  Audubon,  declaring  entirely 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family  III. . . .  Vulturidse.— (Lat.  Vnltur.     Vulture  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.    Vulturince. 


Fulvus  (Lat.  tawny),  the  Griffon  Vulturt. 

for  sight,  and  others,  as  Waterton,  asserting  that  the  scent  of 
putrid  animal  matter  leads  the  vultures  to  their  prey.  The 
experiment  of  stuffing  a  deer's  hide  and  placing  it  exposed  in 
the  open  air  was  hy  no  means  conclusive,  as  the  hide,  however 
dry,  must  have  given  out  some  odour,  and  the  vulture  certainly 
acted  very  properly  in  pulling  out  the  straw  and  endeavouring 
to  get  at  the  inside.  The  probability  is  that  both  senses  are 
used,  one  aiding  the  other ;  for  in  another  experiment,  where 
a  dead  hog  was  hidden  under  canes  and  briars,  numbers  of 
vultures  were  seen  sailing  in  all  directions  over  the  spot, 
evidently  directed  by  the  scent,  but  unable  to  discover  by 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  197 

eyes  the  exact  position  of  the  animal.  The  olfactory  nerves  of 
the  Vulture  are  beautifully  developed,  so  that  Waterton  had 
reason  for  his  pathetic  remark, — "  I  never  thought  I  should 
have  lived  to  see  this  bird  deprived  of  its  nose." 

The  GRIFFON  VULTURE  is  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the 
old  world.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  of  its  group,  measuring 
upwards  of  four  feet  in  length.  Like  most  of  the  vultures,  it 
does  not  appear  to  move  its  wings  while  flying,  but  soars  on 
expanded  pinions  in  large  circles,  apparently  gaining  the  ne- 
cessary impetus  by  the  movements  of  its  head  and  body,  just 
as  an  accomplished  skater  uses  but  little  force  in  his  various 
evolutions,  an  imperceptible  inclination  of  the  head  or  sway 
of  the  body  sufficing  to  keep  up  the  impetus  gained  at  starting, 
and  to  bring  him  round  in  any  direction  he  chooses. 

Vultures  are  generally  protected  by  the  natives  of  the 
countries  where  they  reside,  on  account  of  their  great  utility 
in  cleaning  away  the  putrid  animal  matter,  which  would  other- 
wise be  exceedingly  injurious  as  well  as  disagreeable.  The 
Turkey  Buzzard  or  John  Crow  (  Cathartes  Aura),  or  Jamaican 
vulture,  is  protected  by  a  fine  of  five  pounds  inflicted  on  any 
one  who  destroys  the  bird  within  a  certain  distance  of  the 
principal  towns.  Waterton's  account  of  this  bird  is  very  in- 
teresting, and  well  worthy  of  notice.  There  are  many  species 
of  vultures  inhabiting  different  countries,  but  their  habits  as 
well  as  their  forms  are  so  familiar  that  a  detailed  description 
of  each  is  needless. 


EAGLES. 

The  Falconidse  hold  the  same  place  among  birds  as  the 
Felidse  among  terrestrial  quadrupeds.  The  beak  of  this  fam- 
ily is  strong  and  curved,  and  the  feet  furnished  with  sharp 
talons,  just  as  the  Felidse  are  armed  with  long  sharp  teeth 
and  powerful  claws.  The  Falconidse  differ  from  the  Vulturidae 
in  having  feathered  necks,  and  in  killing  their  prey  and  de- 
vouring it  while  fresh. 

At  the  head  of  the  Falconidse  the  EAGLES  are  placed.  In 
them  the  wings  are  large,  powerful,  and  slightly  rounded,  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY 

Family  IV.  ...  Falconidse. 
Sub-family  a.  .  Aquilince. 

AQUILA.— (Lat.  an  Eagle.) 


Chrysagtos  (Gr.  XpvaaisTOf,  Golden  Eagle),  the  Golden  Eagle. 

fourth  primary  feather  being  the  longest.  The  feet  of  the 
genus  Aquila  are  feathered  to  the  toes. 

The  Golden  Eagle  is  found  in  most  parts  of  Europe,  and  is 
not  uncommon  in  Great  Britain,  especially  in  the  mountainous 
parts  of  Scotland  and  the  Hebrides.  The  flight  of  this  mag- 
nificent bird  is  peculiarly  beautiful  and  imposing,  but  its  gait 
when  on  land  is  rather  awkward,  for  its  long  talons  encumber 
it  in  the  same  manner  that  the  sloth  is  prevented  from  rapid 
locomotion  by  its  curved  claws. 

Its  food  is  usually  sea  birds  and  the  smaller  quadrupeds, 
such  as  hares,  rabbits,  &c.,  but  it  does  not  hesitate  to  carry 
off  young  lambs,  or  sometimes  to  destroy  a  sickly  sheep. 


NATURAL  HISJORY.  199 

Some  instances  have  been  related  of  children  that  have  been 
carried  away  by  this  eagle,  but  they  are  very  doubtful.  Eagles 
certainly  have  pounced  upon  children  and  carried  them  a  little 
way,  but  there  are  no  authenticated  accounts  of  children,  hav- 
ing been  actually  taken  to  the  eagle's  nest. 

It  generally  hunts  in  pairs,  one  eagle  watching  from  some 
height  while  the  other  courses  along  the  ground  and  drives 
the  game  from  the  bushes.  The  male  and  female  remain 
together  all  the  year,  and  very  probably  for  life.  It  lays  two 
eggs  of  a  yellowish  white  colour  with  pale  brownish  spots,  on 
a  nest  composed  of  a  great  mass  of  sticks,  rushes  and  grass. 
The  young  are  fledged  about  the  end  of  July.  While  the 
young  are  in  the  nest  it  is  very  dangerous  to  approach  the 
spot,  as  the  Eagles  are  then  extremely  tierce  and  daring.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Inglis  gives  an  account  of  an  adventure  with  an 
eagle.  "  The  farmer  of  Glenmark,  whose  name  was  Miln, 
had  been  out  one  day  with  his  gun,  and  coming  upon  an 
eagle's  nest,  he  made  a  noise  to  start  her  and  have  a  shot. 
She  was  not  at  home,  however,  and  so  Miln,  taking  off  his 
shoes,  began  to  ascend,  gun  in  hand.  When  about  half  way 
up,  and  in  a  very  critical  situation,  the  eagle  made  her  appear- 
ance, bringing  a  plentiful  supply  to  the  young  which  she  had 
in  her  nest.  Q,uick  as  thought  she  darted  upon  the  intruder, 
with  a  terrific  scream.  He  was  clinging  to  the  rock  by  one 
hand,  with  scarcely  any  footing,  Making  a  desperate  effort, 
however,  he  reached  a  ledge,  while  the  eagle  was  now  so  close 
that  he  sould  not  shoot  at  her.  A  lucky  thought  struck  him  : 
he  took  off  his  bonnet  and  threw  it  at  the  eagle,  which  imme- 
diately flew  after  it  to  the  foot  of  the  rock.  As  she  was  re- 
turning to  the  attack,  finding  an  opportunity  of  taking  a  steady 
aim,  he  shot  her." 

The  eye  of  this  bird,  and  of  most  of  the  birds  of  prey,  is  pro- 
vided with  an  arrangement  for  enabling  it  to  see  an  object  near 
or  at  a  great  distance.  The  old  tale  of  the  eagle  delighting  to 
gaze  at  the  sun  is  equally  poetical  and  false,  the  true  fact  being 
that  the  eye  is  shaded  from  the  sun  by  the  projecting  eyebrow. 
As  to  the  nictitating  membrane  which  some  assert  to  be  given 
to  the  Eagle  in  order  to  enable  it  to  gaze  at  the  sun,  all  birds 
have  it,  and  the  owl,  who  is  blinded  by  ordinary  daylight,  pos- 
sesses it  in  perfection. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
PANDION  (Gr.  Proper  name.) 


Haliaetus  (Gr.  "A^c,  the  sea,  deroc,  an  Eagle),  the  Osprey. 

The  feet  of  the  genus  Pandion  are  naked,  armed  with  very 
long  curved  talons,  the  outermost  of  which  can  be  drawn  to- 
gether, so  as  to  hold  their  slippery  prey.  The  wings  are  ample, 
and  the  second  and  third  primary  feathers  the  longest. 

The  OSPREY,  or  FISHING  HAWK,  is  spread  over  the  whole 
of  Europe,  part  of  Asia,  and  some  portions  of  North  America. 
As  its  name  imports,  its  food  consists  entirely  of  fish,  which 
it  obtains  by  dashing  into  the  water,  and  seizing  them  with 
its  curved  talons.  The  Osprey,  although  it  takes  the  fish,  is 
not  the  only  bird  that  has  a  predilection  for  that  diet,  as  the 
bald-headed  eagle  frequently  waits  until  the  osprey  has  seized 
the  prey,  and  then  deprives  him  of  it.  Want  of  room  prevents 
the  insertion  of  the  entire  spirited  passage  from  Wilson's  Orni- 
thology, describing  the  chase  and  capture.  He  relates  that 
the  eagle,  after  watching  the  osprey  as  it  dashes  into  the 
water  after  its  finny  prey,  starts  off  in  pursuit  as  it  emerges, 
bearing  a  fish  in  its  talons.  "  Each  exerts  his  utmost  to 
mount  above  the  other,  displaying,  in  these  rencontres,  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  201 

most  elegant  and  sublime  aerial  evolutions.  The  unencum- 
bered eagle  rapidly  advances,  and  is  just  on  the  point  of  reach- 
ing his  opponent,  when,  with  a  sudden  scream,  probably  of 
despair  and  honest  execration,  the  latter  drops  his  fish  :  the 
eagle,  poising  himself  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  take  a  more  cer- 
tain aim,  descends  like  a  whirlwind,  snatches  it  in  his  grasp 
ere  it  reaches  the  water,  and  bears  his  ill-gotten  booty  silently 
away  to  the  woods." 

When  the  Osprey  plunges  after  its  finny  prey,  it  never 
attempts  to  seize  them  while  leaping  out  of  the  water,  but 
plunges  downwards  with  such  force,  that  it  disappears  below 
the  surface,  throwing  up  the  foam  around  it. 

Its  nest  is  made  of  an  enormous  heap,  enough  to  make  a  fair 
cart-load,  of  sticks,  grass,  &c.,  laid  among  the  branches  of  a 
tree.  In  this  nest  it  lays  its  eggs,  which  are  a  yellowish  white, 
sprinkled  with  brown  blotches. 

The  length  of  this  bird  is  about  two  feet,  and  the  expanse 
of  its  wings  about  five  feet  and  a  half.  Its  feet  are  a  pale 
greyish  blue  colour,  which,  unfortunately,  fades  in  a  stuffed 
specimen. 


THE   WHITE-HEADED   EAGLE. 

The  WHITE-HEADED  EAGLE,  or  BALD  EAGLE,  as  it  is  called 
by  Wilson,  inhabits  most  parts  of  America,  and  especially 
frequents  the  cataract  of  Niagara.  It  is  very  accommodating 
in  its  appetite,  and  preys  indiscriminately  on  lambs,  pigs,  swans, 
and  the  fish  which,  as  related  above,  it  takes  away  from  the 
unfortunate  osprey.  Sometimes  it  can  take  fish  honourably 
for  itself  in  shallow  water,  by  wading  as  far  as  it  can,  and 
snatching  up  the  fish  with  its  beak.  Audubon  gives  a  splendid 
description  of  the  chase  of  a  swan  by  an  eagle,  but  want  of 
space  again  prevents  its  insertion. 

Like  the  Golden  Eagle,  this  bird  lives  constantly  with  its 
mate,  and  hunts  in  company.  It  lays  from  two  to  four  eggs, 
of  a  dull  white  colour,  in  a  huge  nest  placed  on  a  tall  tree. 

The  claws  of  this  bird  are  grooved  beneath,  and  the  hind 
claw  is  the  longest.  The  feet  are  half  feathered,  and  the 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 


LeucocephSlus  (Gr.  Aev/co/ce^aAof,  white-headed),  the  White-headed 
Eagle. 

fourth  primary  feather  of  the  wing  is  the  longest.  "When  full 
grown,  the  general  colour  of  the  bird  is  a  deep  brownish  black, 
but  its  head,  neck,  tail,  and  upper  tail-coverts  are  white. 


THE    BUZZARD. 

The  family  of  the  BUZZARDS  are  distinguished  by  their  short 
beaks,  large  rounded  wings,  and  squared  tails.  They  all  prey 
on  small  animals,  reptiles,  and  various  insects. 

The  Common  Buzzard  occurs  throughout  most  of  Europe 
and  part  of  Asia,  being  frequently  found  in  England.  When 
searching  for  food,  it  rests  upon  some  high  branch,  keeping  a 
keen  watch  on  the  ground,  and  waiting  patiently  until  some 
small  animal,  such  as  a  rat,  or  young  rabbit,  makes  its  appear- 
ance, when  it  instantly  sweeps  down  from  its  elevation,  seizes 
its  prey  without  settling  on  the  ground,  and  returns,  if  not  dis- 
turbed, to  the  same  spot,  very  much  in  the  same  manner  that 
the  fly-catcher  may  be  observed  to  act. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  c.  Buteonirue. — (Lat.  Buteo,  a  Buzzard) 
BUTEO. 


\ 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Buzzard. 

It  generally  builds  in  high  trees,  but  has  been  known  to 
make  its  nest  among  rocks.  Its  eggs  are  usually  three  in 
number,  of  a  whitish  colour,  spotted  with  pale  brown,  and 
almost  devoid  of  the  peculiar  red  tinge  that  generally  charac- 
terises the  eggs  of  the  diurnal  birds  of  prey.  The  length  of 
this  bird  is  from  twenty  to  twenty-two  inches  :  the  fourth  pri- 
mary feather  is  the  longest. 


THE    HONEY    BUZZARD. 

The  genus  Pernis  is  distinguished  by  the  feathered  lorum 
or  band  round  the  eyes.  The  HONEY  BUZZARD  is  found  in  the 
warmer  parts  of  Europe,  and  in  Asia,  seldom  visiting  our 
shores.  Its  food  does  not  consist  of  honey,  as  its  name  might 
seem  to  indicate,  but  of  bees,  wasps,  and  their  larvse.  In  the 
stomach  of  one  that  was  shot  in  Scotland,  a  great  number  of 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
Sub-family  d.  Milvina. 

PKRN'IS. 


Apivorus  (Lat.  Bee-eating),  the  Honey  Buzzard. 

bees  and  grubs  were  found,  but  no  honey  or  wax.  It  does  not, 
however,  refuse  small  quadrupeds,  or  sometimes  small  birds, 
if  pressed  by  hunger.  It  is  a  bird  of  passage,  leaving  Europe 
at  the  commencement  of  winter.  Its  nest  is  built  in  high 
trees,  and  its  eggs  are  two  or  three  in  number,  grey,  spotted 
with  red  at  one  end,  and  surrounded  with  a  red  band.  Its 
length  is  about  two  feet,  and  the  expanse  of  its  wings  fifty-two 
inches.  The  third  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

The  KITE,  GLEDE,  or  GLED,  is  not  uncommon  in  England, 
and  is  spread  over  Europe,  Asia,  and  Northern  Africa.  It  is 
especially  hated  by  the  farmer  for  its  depredations  on  his 
poultry,  and  its  appearance  is  the  signal  for  a  general  outcry 
among  the  terrified  poultry,  who  perceive  it  long  before  the 
keenest-eyed  man  can  distinguish  it  from  a  casual  spot  in  the 
distant  sky.  The  sportsman  also  detests  it  for  the  havoc 
which  it  makes  among  the  game, — possibly  the  kite  hates 
the  sportsman  for  the  same  reason. 

It  builds  in  tall  trees,  and  lays  three  eggs,  white,  spotted 
with  reddish  brown  at  the  larger  end.  Its  length  is  rather 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 
Mn,vr«.—  (iMt.  a  Kite.) 


Regalis  (Lat.  royal),  the  Kite. 

more  than  two  feet ;  the  fourth  primary  feather  is  the  longest, 
the  first  and  seventh  nearly  equal. 

The  SWALLOW-TAILED  FALCON  is  an  inhabitant  of  North 
America,  but  has  been  twice  taken  in  England.  It  feeds  on 
the  wing,  like  the  swallows,  pursuing  the  large  moths  and 
other  insects  with  an  ease  and  rapidity  for  which  its  formation 
eminently  fits  it.  These  insects  are  however  not  the  only 
food  of  this  bird.  Audubon  mentions  that  "  Their  principal 
food  is  large  grasshoppers,  grass  caterpillars,  small  snakes, 
lizards,  and  frogs.  They  sweep  close  over  the  fields,  some- 
times seeming  to  secure  a  snake,  and  holding  it  fast  by  the 
neck,  carry  it  ofF,  and  devour  it  in  the  air."  This  act  is  shown 
in  the  figure  on  p.  206.  Its  nest  is  built  on  the  summit  of  an 
aged  pine  or  oak,  and  its  eggs  are  from  four  to  six  in  number, 
of  a  greenish  white  colour,  irregularly  spotted  with  brown  at 
the  large  end.  The  length  of  this  bird  is  two  feet.  It  should 


206  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

ELANOIDES. 


Furcatus  (Lat.  forked),  the  Swallow-tailed  Falcon. 

properly  be  called  the  Swallow-tailed  Kite,  as  it  belongs  to 
that  family. 


FALCONS. 

In  the  genus  Falco,  the  second  primary  feather  is  the  long- 
est, the  first  and  third  being  of  equal  length.  The  GYRFAL- 
CON  may  be  considered  the  type  of  the  British  Falconidse.  It 
is,  however,  extremely  rare  in  England,  those  intended  for 
hawking  being  principally  brought  from  Iceland.  On  the 
rocky  coasts  of  Norway  and  Iceland  its  eggs  are  laid.  These 
birds  are  very  courageous  in  defending  their  young.  A  pair 
of  them  attacked  Dr.  Richardson  while  he  was  climbing  near 
their  nest,  flying  in  circles  round  him  and  occasionally  dashing 
at  his  face  with  loud  screams.  The  entire  length  of  the  Gyr- 
falcon  is  twenty-three  inches. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  e.  Falconince. 
FALCO. — (Lat.  a  Falcon.} 


Gyrfalco  (Lat.)  the  Gyrfalcon. 

The  PEREGRINE  FALCON,  an  inhabitant  of  most  parts  of 
Europe,  Asia,  and  South  America,  was,  in  the  palmy  days  of 
hawking,  one  of  the  favourite  falcons  chosen  for  that  sport. 
Its  strength  and  swiftness  are  very  great,  enabling  it  to  strike 
down  its  prey  with  great  ease ;  indeed,  it  has  been  known  to 
disable  five  partridges  in  succession.  From  its  successful  pur- 
suit of  ducks  the  Americans  call  it  the  Duck  Hawk. 

There  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  method  of  attack  which  this 
bird  employs  when  pursuing  small  game.  Instead  of  merely 
dashing  at  its  prey,  and  grasping  it  with  its  claws,  the  Pere- 
grine Falcon  strikes  its  victim  with  its  breast,  and  actually 
stuns  it  with  the  violence  of  the  blow  before  seizing  it  with 
its  claws.  The  boldness  of  the  Peregrine  Falcon  is  so  great 
that  it  was  generally  employed  to  take  the  formidable  Heron. 


NATURAL    HISTORY 


Peregiimis  (Lat.  wandering],  the  Peregrine  Falcon. 
After  the  Heron  had  been  roused  from  his  contemplations  by 
some  marsh  or  river,  the  Falcon,  who  had  previously  been 
held  hooded  on  its  master's  hand,  was  loosed  from  its  bonds 
and  cast  off.  A  contest  then  generally  took  place  between 
the  Heron  and  the  Falcon,  each  striving  to  ascend  above  the 
other.  In  this  contest  the  Falcon  was  always  victorious,  and 
after  it  had  attained  a  sufficient  altitude,  it  swept,  or  "  stooped," 
as  the  phrase  was,  upon  the  Heron.  When  the  Falcon  had 
closed  with  its  prey,  they  both  came  to  the  ground  together, 
and  the  sportsman's  business  was  to  reach  the  place  of  con- 
flict as  soon  as  possible,  and  assist  the  Falcon  in  vanquishing 
its  prey.  Sometimes,  however,  the  wary  Heron  contrived  to 
receive  its  enemy  on  the  point  of  its  sharp  beak,  and  transfixed 
it  by  its  own  impetus. 

It  changes  the  colour  of  its  plumage  several  times  before 
it  arrives  at  full  maturity,  and  in  the  days  of  falconry  was 
known  by  different  names,  such  as  "  haggard"  when  wild, 
"  eyass,"  "  red  falcon"  when  young,  "  tiercel"  or  "  tassel-gentle" 
when  a  full  grown  male ;  a  term  forcibly  recalling  the  words 
of  Juliet,  "  Oh  for  a  falconer's  voice,  to  lure  this  tassel-gentle 
back  again !" 

It  builds  on  ledges  of  rocks,  laying  four  eggs  of  a  reddish 
brown  colour.  Its  length  is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches. 


NATURAL    HISTORY 


HTPOTBIORCHIS. — (Gr.  'YtroTpi6px?l<;-) 


Subbuteo  (Lat.  the  Hobby.) 


The  HOBBY  is  a  summer  visitor  in  England,  appearing  in 
April  and  leaving  in  October.  It  was  formerly  trained  to  fly 
at  larks,  quails,  and  other  small  birds.  When  wild  it  seems 
to  feed  principally  on  small  birds  and  large  beetles,  the  com- 
mon dor-beetle  being  a  very  favourite  article  of  food.  It 
builds  its  nest  at  the  summit  of  a  high  tree,  usually  appro- 
priating the  deserted  habitation  of  a  crow.  The  eggs  are 
four  in  number,  of  a  dirty  white  colour,  speckled  with  reddish 
brown.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  from  twelve  to  fourteen 
inches. 

The  MERLIN,  the  least  of  our  Falcons,  was  considered  in 
olden  tiroes  as  the  lady's  bird,  every  rank  being  obliged  to 


210  NATURAL   HISTORY. 


JIYI'OTUIOKCIIIS. 


jEsalon  (Gr.  A.lau^.uv),  the  Merlin. 

content  itself  with  the  bird  allotted  to  its  peculiar  station, 
royalty  alone  having  the  privilege  to  bear  an  eagle  into  the 
field. 

The  spirited  little  Merlin  seizes  with  great  dexterity  small 
birds  such  as  buntings,  thrushes,  and  blackbirds,  itself  really 
hardly  larger  than  its  prey,  its  entire  length  being  barely  eleven 
inches.  Even  the  partridge  falls  before  a  trained  bird.  Its 
eggs  are  four  in  number,  of  a  reddish  mottled  brown,  laid  in  a 
rude  nest  among  the  heather. 

The  KESTREL,  or  WINDHOVER  as  it  is  often  called,  frequently 
falls  a  victim  to  the  mistaken  zeal  of  the  farmer,  who  takes 
every  opportunity  of  destroying  it,  as  he  confounds  it  with  the 
sparrow-hawk.  The  natural  food  of  the  Kestrel  is  field-mice, 
so  that  the  farmer  should  protect  instead  of  remorselessly 
murdering  his  benefactor.  These  birds  are  not  uncommon. 
Many  live  close  to  Oxford  and  in  Bagley  Wood,  where  they 
may  be  seen  almost  daily.  They  also  live  in  great  numbers 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

TINNUNCULUS. — (Lat.  a  Kestrel.) 


Alaudarius  (Lat.  of  a  Lark),  the  Kestrel, 

among  the  precipices  in  Dovedale.  Their  nest  is  usually  built 
in  the  deserted  mansion  of  a  crow  or  magpie.  The  eggs  are 
four  in  number,  of  a  dark  reddish  brown.  The  length  is  from 
thirteen  to  fifteen  inches. 


THE    GOSHAWK 

The  GOSHAWK  is  found  plentifully  in  most  of  the  wooded 
districts  of  Europe,  but  is  comparatively  rare  in  the  British 
Isles.  It  seldom  breeds  south  of  Scotland,  but  its  nest  is  not 
unfrequently  found  in  that  country,  built  upon  lofty  trees, 
principally  firs,  and  containing  three  eggs  of  a  bluish  white 
colour  with  reddish  brown  marks.  When  in  pursuit  of  prey, 
it  strikes  its  victim  to  the  ground  by  the  force  with  which  it 
dashes  through  the  air.  Should  the  terrified  quarry  hide  it- 
self, the  Goshawk  takes  up  its  station  on  some  elevated  spot, 
and  there  patiently  waits  until  the  game  takes  wing.  Its 
principal  food  consists  of  hares,  squirrels,  pheasants,  and  other 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  /.  Accipitrina. 
ASTCR. — (Proper  name.) 


Palumbarius  (Lat.  of  the  Dove),  the  Goshawk. 

large  birds,  which  its  great  strength  enables  it  to  destroy.     Its 
length  is   about  two  feet ;  the  fourth  primary  feather  is  the 


The  SPARROW-HAWK  is  common  throughout  Europe.  It 
skirns  along,  a  few  feet  above  the  ground,  and  snatches  away 
its  prey,  pursuing  it  with  wonderful  pertinacity.  One  of 
these  birds  was  known  to  dash  through  a  window  in  pursuit 
of  a  small  bird.  When  taken  young  it  is  easily  tamed,  and 
will  then  associate  with  the  most  incongruous  companions. 
A  gentleman  had  a  young  Sparrow-hawk  which  used  to  live 
in  his  dovecote  among  his  pigeons,  would  accompany  them 
in  their  flights,  and  was  uneasy  if  separated  from  its  strange 
friends.  The  length  of  this  bird  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  2J3 

ACCIPITER. — (Lat.) 


Nisus  (Lat.  proper  name),  the  Sparrow-hawk. 

inches.  The  fourth  and  fifth  primary  feathers  are  the  longest. 
It  builds  upon  lofty  trees,  laying  five  eggs,  of  a  whitish  colour 
blotched  with  variable  reddish  brown  markings,  usually  collect- 
ed towards  the  large  end. 


THE    SECRETARY    BIRD. 

The  SECRETARY  BIRD  derives  its  name  from  the  tufts  of 
feathers  at  the  back  of  its  head,  which  bear  a  fanciful  resem- 
blance to  pens  stuck  behind  the  ear.  This  extraordinary  bird, 
whose  true  position  in  ornithology  has  been  such  a  stumbling- 
block  to  naturalists,  inhabits  South  Africa,  Senegambia,  and 
the  Philippine  Islands.  Probably  a  different  species  inhabits 
each  of  these  countries.  It  feeds  on  snakes  and  other  reptiles, 
of  which  it  consumes  an  amazing  number,  and  is  on  that  ac- 
count protected.  When  battling  with  a  snake,  it  covers  itself 
with  one  wing  as  with  a  shield,  and  with  the  other  strikes  at 
the  reptile  until  it  falls  senseless,  when  a  powerful  blow  from 


214 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-family  g.   Circina. 
SEKPENTARIUS. — (Lat.  of  a  Serpent.) 


Reptilivorus  (Lat.  Reptile-eating},  the  Secretary  Bird. 

the  beak  splits  the  snake's  head  asunder,  and  the  vanquished 
enemy  is  speedily  swallowed.  In  the  crop  of  a  Secretary  hird 
that  was  dissected  by  Le  Vaillant  were  found  eleven  large  liz- 
ards, three  serpents,  each  a  yard  in  length,  eleven  small  tor- 
toises, and  a  great  quantity  of  locusts  and  other  insects.  Besides 
these,  the  bird  had  just  killed  another  serpent,  which  it  would 
in  all  probability  have  transferred  to  the  same  receptacle  had 
it  not  been  killed.  The  Secretary  is  easily  tamed,  and  is  then 
exceedingly  useful.  It  builds  on  high  trees,  laying  three  large 
eggs,  almost  white.  Its  length  is  about  three  feet. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


215 


CIRCUS. — (Lat.) 


Cyaneus  (Lat.  azure),  the  Hen  Harrier. 

The  HARRIERS  are  remarkable  for  the  peculiar  feathered 
disk  round  their  eyes,  something  resembling  that  of  the  owl. 
The  Hen  Harrier  is  a  native  of  England,  and  lives  principally 
about  forests  and  heaths.  Its  length  is  about  seventeen  inches  ; 
the  first  primary  feather  is  very  short,  the  third  or  fourth  is 
the  longest. 


OWLS. 

A  large  round  head,  with  enormous  eyes  looking  forward, 
is  a  distinguishing  mark  of  the  OWL  family.  Many  species 
possess  two  feathery  tufts  placed  on  the  head,  greatly  re- 
sembling horns.  The  Owls  are  nocturnal  birds,  pursuing 
their  prey  by  night,  and  sleeping  during  the  day.  In  order 
to  enable  them  to  see  their  prey,  their  eyes  are  enormously 
large,  and  capable  of  taking  in  every  ray  of  light.  Their 
power  of  vision  is  also  increased  by  the  method  in  which  the 
eye  is  fixed  in  a  kind  of  bony  socket,  just  like  the  watch- 
maker's glass.  The  nictitating  membrane  is  very  conspicuous 
in  these  birds.  The  power  of  hearing  is  also  very  delicate, 
and  greatly  assists  them.  In  order  to  protect  them  from  the 
cold,  they  are  furnished  with  "a  dense  covering  of  downy 


216  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-order  II.  .  ACCIPITRES  NOCTURNI. 

Family  I.  ...  Strigidse. — (Lat.  Strix,  a  Screech-owl.      Screech-owl 

kind.) 
Sub-family  a  .  Surninee. 


Uliila  (Lat  howling),  the  Hawk-owl. 

feathers,  which  also  prevent  the  movements  of  the  wing  from 
being  heard  by  the  wary  mouse ;  and  so  noiseless  is  their 
flight  that  they  seem  borne  along  by  the  wind  like  a  tuft  of 
thistle-down. 

The  HAWK,  or  CANADA  OWL,  inhabits  the  arctic  portions  of 
Asia  and  America.  Its  head  is  not  so  round,  nor  is  its  face  so 
broad,  as  those  of  the  other  owls,  from  which  it  is  also  distin- 
guished by  its  habit  of  hunting  by  day.  In  face  it  bears  some 
resemblance  to  the  harriers.  It  builds  in  trees,  and  lays  two 
eggs — white,  as  are  those  of  all  owls.  The  eggs  of  owls  are 
easily  distinguished  from  other  white  eggs  by  a  peculiar  rough- 
ness of  surface,  which  cannot  be  mistaken.  The  length  of  the 
Hawk  Owl  is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


NYCTEA. — (Gr.  Nii/mo?,  nightly.) 


Nivea  (Lat.  snowy),  the  Snowy-owl. 

The  SNOWY  OWL  is  properly  an  inhabitant  of  the  north  of 
Europe,  but  has  more  than  once  been  discovered  in  Great 
Britain.  It  is  also  found  in  North  America.  Wilson  relates 
that  it  is  a  good  fisher,  snatching  its  prey  from  the  water  by 
a  sudden  grasp  of  the  foot.  It  also  preys  on  lemmings,  hares, 
ptarmigans,  &c.,  chasing  and  striking  at  them  with  its  feet. 
It  makes  its  nest  on  the  ground,  and  lays  three  or  four  white 
eggs,  of  which  more  than  two  are  seldom  hatched.  Its  length 
is  from  twenty-two  to  twenty-seven  inches,  the  expanse  of 
wing  four  feet ;  the  third  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

K 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
ATHENE. — (Gr.  proper  name.) 


Cunicularia  (Lat.  of  the  Rabbit),  the  Burrowing  Owl. 

The  BURROWING  OWL  accompanies  the  prairie  dog,  and  where- 
ever  that  animal  chooses  to  live,  there  is  the  Burrowing  Owl. 
This  singular  little  hird  finds  that  to  take  possession  of  the 
ready-made  burrows  of  the  prairie  dog  is  much  more  agreeable 
than  to  dig  a  hole  for  itself;  so  it  takes  unfurnished  lodgings 
in  a  deserted  dwelling,  undisturbed  by  anything  except  a  casual 
lizard  or  rattlesnake. 

So  numerous  are  these  little  owls,  that  they  may  be  seen 
in  small  flocks  seated  on  the  tops  of  the  mounds  in  which  the 
entrance  of  the  burrows  is  formed.  It  is  said  that  the  owls, 
marmots  (or  prairie-dogs),  lizards,  and  snakes,  all  live  har- 
moniously in  one  happy  family.  Such,  however,  is  not  really 
the  case,  as  the  Burrowing  Owls  prefer  holes  unoccupied  by 
any  other  tenant,  and  have  been  seen  with  something  most 
suspiciously  like  a  young  snake  struggling  in  their  mouths. 
The  bottom  of  its  hole  is  generally  comfortably  filled  with 
dried  hay  and  roots. 

The  legs  of  this  bird  are  longer  than  those  of  other  owls. 
It  is  by  no  means  large,  measuring:  but  ten  inches  in  length. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  219 

Sub-family  b.  Bubonina. 
EPHIALTES. — (Gr.  proper  name.) 


Scops  (Gr.  Z/c&ty,  an  Owl),  the  Scops  Eared-owl. 

The  SCOPS  EARED-OWL  has  been  once  or  twice  found  in 
Yorkshire,  but  usually  resides  in  the  southern  parts  of  the 
Continent.  It  is  remarkable  for  the  regularity  with  which  it 
utters  its  monotonous  cry,  as  if  a  person  were  constantly  re- 
peating the  letter  Q,  at  regular  intervals  of  two  seconds.  It 
does  not  seem  to  prey  upon  mice  and  other  animals  like  most 
of  its  relations,  but  feeds  on  large  insects,  such  as  beetles  and 
grasshoppers.  The  size  of  this  owl  is  very  small,  as  it  only 
measures  seven  inches  in  length  ;  the  third  primary  feather  is 
the  longest.  It  lays  from  two  to  four  white  eggs  in  a  simple 
nest  made  in  a  hollow  tree  or  in  a  cleft  in  the  rock. 

The  GREAT  EARED-OWL  or  EAGLE  OWL,  is  the  largest  of  the 
family.  This  powerful  bird,  not  satisfied  with  the  "  rats  and 
mice  and  such  small  deer"  which  content  the  English  owls, 
boldly  attacks  young  fawns,  hares  and  rabbits,  together  with 
small  birds.  It  inhabits  the  north  of  Europe,  but  has  been 


220 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
BUBO. — (Lat.  an  Owl.) 


Maximus  (Lat.  greatest),  the  Great' Eared-owl 

several  times  observed  in  Great  Britain.  It  lays  its  eggs  in 
the  clefts  of  rocks  or  in  ruined  buildings.  The  length  of  this 
bird  is  upwards  of  two  feet. 

The  BARN  OWL  affords  another  instance  of  mistaken  per- 
secution. This  beautiful  and  most  useful  bird,  whose  carcase 
we  so  often  see  triumphantly  nailed  to  the  barn,  actually 
feeds  upon  and  destroys  in  incalculable  numbers  the  rats  and 
mice  which  bear  it  company  in  its  undeserved  punishment. 
Waterton  remarks,  "  When  farmers  complain  that  the  Barn 
Owl  destroys  the  eggs  of  their  pigeons,  they  lay  the  saddle  on 
the  wrong  horse.  They  ought  to  put  it  on  the  rat.  Formerly 
I  could  get  very  few  young  pigeons  till  the  rats  were  ex- 
cluded from  the  dovecote.  Since  that  took  place,  it  has  pro- 
duced a  great  abundance  every  year,  although  the  barn  owls 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  221 

Sub-family  d.  Strigince. 
STKIX. — (Lat.  a  Screech-owl.) 


Flammea  (Latjlaminf/),  the  Barn-owl. 

frequent  it,  and  are  encouraged  all  afound  it.  The  barn  owl 
merely  resorts  to  it  for  repose  and  concealment.  If  it  were 
really  an  enemy  to  the  dovecote,  we  should  see  the  pigeons 
in  commotion  as  soon  as  it  begins  its  evening  flight,  but  the 
pigeons  heed  it  not,  whereas  if  the  sparrow-hawk  or  hobby 
should  make  its  appearance,  the  whole  community  would  be 
up  at  once.  ...  I  am  amply  repaid  for  the  pains  I  have  taken 
to  protect  and  encourage  the  barn  owl ;  it  pays  me  an  hun- 
dred fold  by  the  enormous  quantity  of  mice  which  it  destroys 
throughout  the  year." 

It  also  destroys  great  numbers  of  beetles  and  other  insects. 
It  is  possible  that  it  may  destroy  young  birds,  but  not  probable, 
as  feathers  and  birds'  bones  are  never  found  among  the  rejecta- 
menta. It  will,  however,  when  domesticated  devour  a  dead 
sparrow  or  linnet  when  presented  to  it. 

The  Barn  Owl  lays  three  or  four  eggs  upon  a  mass  of  the 
pellets  which  all  the  owls  disgorge.  Its  length  is  rather  more 
than  twelve  inches  ;  the  second  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Order  II. ...  PASSERES. 

Tribe  I. ....  FISSIROSTRES.— Lat.  Split-bills.) 

Sub-tribe  I. .  FISSIROSTRES  NOCTURNE. 

Family  I. ...  Caprimulgidae. — (Lat.  Goat-sticker  kind.) 

Sub-family  a.  Caprimulgince. 

CAPRIMULGUS. 


Europseus  (Lat  European},  the  Goat-sucker. 

The  Fissirostres  are  so  called  from  the  peculiar  formation  of 
their  mouths,  which  appear  as  if  they  had  heen  slit  up  from 
their  ordinary  termination  to  beyond  the  eyes,  much  resemhling 
the  mouth  of  a  frog.  In  the  insect-eating  Fissirostres  this  for- 
mation is  admirably  adapted  for  capturing  their  active  prey, 
and  in  the  Kingfishers  it  is  equally  adapted  for  securing  the 
slippery  inhabitants  of  the  waters. 

The  Caprimulgidse  are  nocturnal  in  their  habits,  chasing 
their  insect  prey  by  night  or  at  the  dusk,  when  the  chaffers 
and  large  moths  are  on  the  wing.  In  order  to  prevent  the 
escape  of  the  insect  when  taken,  the  mouth  is  fringed  with 
long  stiff  bristles,  called  "vibrissse."  The  name  of  Goat- 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  223 

sucker  is  derived  from  a  silly  notion  that  they  suck  goats,  a 
piece  of  credulity  only  equalled  by  the  hedgehog's  supposed 
crime  of  sucking  cows,  and  the  accusation  against  the  cat  of 
sucking  the  breath  of  children.  The  genus  Caprimulgus  is 
furnished  with  a  kind  of  comb  on  the  middle  claw  of  its  foot, 
but  for  what  purpose  is  not  clearly  ascertained. 

The  Nightjar,  or  Goat-sucker,  sometimes  called  the  Fern  Owl, 
is  spread  over  Europe,  and  is  tolerably  common  in  England. 
It  may  be  seen  at  the  approach  of  evening,  silently  wheeling 
round  the  trees,  capturing  the  nocturnal  moths  and  beetles ; 
then  occasionally  settling  and  uttering  its  jarring  cry.  It  ar- 
rives in  this  country  at  the  beginning  of  May,  and  leaves  in  De- 
cember. It  makes  no  nest,  but  lays  two  mottled  eggs  on  the 
bare  ground.  Its  length  is  ten  inches.  The  Whip-poor- Will 
and  the  Chuck- Will's- Widow  both  belong  to  this  family. 

These  two  birds  derive  their  singular  names  from  their  cry, 
which  is  said  closely  to  imitate  the  words  that  have  been  as- 
signed to  them  as  their  names.  Of  course  the  English  language 
must  feel  itself  highly  honoured  that  an  American  bird  should 
prefer  the  language  of  the  "  Britisher"  to  that  of  the  Delaware 
or  the  Sioux.  Both  the  birds  fly  by  night,  or  rather  in  the 
dusk  of  the  evening,  and  like  the  owl  are  much  distressed  by 
being  forced  to  face  a  brilliant  light.  The  Chuck- Will's- Widow 
is  partially  migratory,  and  dwells  in  the  more  southern  parts  of 
America  during  the  winter.  Audubon  relates  that  this  bird 
applies  its  enormous  mouth  to  rather  an  unexpected  use,  viz., 
that  of  removing  its  eggs,  if  it  finds  that  they  have  been  dis- 
turbed. Of  this  curious  circumstance  he  was  an  eye-witness. 
He  saw  the  bird  that  first  discovered  that  an  intruder  had 
touched  the  eggs  wait  for  its  mate,  and  then  saw  each  of  them 
take  an  egg  in  its  mouth  and  convey  it  off. 


MARTINS. 

The  Hirundinidse  are  remarkable  for  their  great  power  of 
wing,  their  wide  mouths,  and  short  legs.  In  the  genus  Cyp- 
selus,  the  toes  are  all  directed  forward,  and  the  tarsus  is  thickly 
feathered.  The  whole  of  their  plumage  is  constructed  with  a 
view  to  rapid  and  active  motion.  The  feathers  of  their  bodies 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-tribe  II.  . .  FISSIROSTRES  DIURN.E. 

Family  II Hirundinidse. — (Lat.  Hirundo,  a  Swallow.     Swal- 
low kind.) 

Sub-family  a.  .  Cyp&elince. 

CYPSELUS. — (Gr.  KityeAof,  a  Martin.) 


Apus  (Gr.  aTrovf,  without  feet),  the  Swift. 

are  firm  and  close,  so  as  not  to  impede  their  passage  through 
the  air ;  their  wing  feathers  are  long,  stiff  and  pointed,  and 
their  tails  are  long  and  forked ;  all  which  properties  we  know 
to  belong  to  great  speed. 

The  SWIFT,  popularly  called  "  Jack  Screamer,"  is  the  largest 
and  swiftest  of  the  British  Hirundinidse.  It  seems  to  spend 
the  whole  day  on  the  wing,  wheeling  with  wonderful  velocity, 
and  occasionally  soaring  until  it  is  hardly  perceptible,  but 
screaming  so  shrilly  that  the  sound  is  plainly  heard.  The 
number  of  insects  which  it  destroys  is  almost  incredible ; 
they  are  retained  in  a  kind  of  pouch  under  the  tongue,  and 
when  taken  out,  could  hardly  be  pressed  into  a  tea-spoon. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  225 

These  are  intended  for  the  young,  and  the  supply  is  constantly 
renewed.  It  lays  from  two  to  four  long  white  eggs,  on  a  nest 
composed  of  grass,  straws,  feathers,  silk,  &c.  The  colour  of  this 
bird  is  a  dusky  black.  The  length  is  eight  inches,  the  expanse 
of  wing  eighteen  inches,  and  its  weight  barely  one  ounce. 

Sub-family  b.  Hirundininse. 
HIRUNDO. — (Lat) 


Rustica  (Lat.  rustic),  the  Chimney  Martin. 

The  CHIMNEY  MARTIN  or  SWALLOW  is  the  most  common  of 
its  family,  and  too  well  known  to  need  much  description. 
When  skimming  over  ponds  or  rivers  in  search  of  insects,  the 
snap  with  which  it  closes  its  bill  may  easily  be  heard.  It  also 
dashes  up  the  water  with  its  wings,  which  action  gave  rise 
to  the  opinion  that  Swallows  passed  the  winter  under  water, 
and  rose  in  the  spring.  It  may  be  easily  caught  with  a  rod 
and  line  baited  with  a  fly,  after  the  manner  of  anglers.  It 
breeds  twice  in  the  year,  building  a  nest  of  mud  against  a 
wall  or  other  convenient  situation,  and  laying  five  very  pale 
pink  eggs,  spotted  with  reddish  brown,  the  pink  of  which 
vanishes  when  the  egg  is  emptied  of  its  contents,  as  it  is 
caused  by  the  light  passing  through  the  yolk,  and  has  to  be 
renewed  by  artificial  means  if  the  egg  is  placed  in  a  collection. 
The  same  is  the  case  with  most  small  light-coloured  eggs. 
The  bird  appears  regularly  to  return,  year  by  year,  to  its  old 
tiest.  The  whole  of  its  upper  surface  is  a  deep  purplish  black, 
its  forehead  and  throat  chestnut. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


COTILE. — (Gr.  K&mAof,  twittering.) 


Riparia  (Lat.  of  a  bank),  the  Sand  Martin. 

The  SAND  MARTIN  is  the  smallest  of  our  British  Swallows, 
but  makes  its  appearance  before  any  of  its  brethren.  It 
principally  builds  in  cliffs  of  sandstone,  boring  holes  three 
feet  or  more  in  depth,  and  often  winding  in  their  course, 
most  probably  to  avoid  a  casual  stone  or  spot  too  hard  for 
its  bill,  which,  although  small  and  apparently  unfitted  for  the 
task,  makes  its  way  through  the  sandstone  with  extraordinary 
rapidity.  Where  a  convenient  sand-cliff  exists,  hundreds  of 
these  pretty  little  birds  may  be  seen  working  away  at  their 
habitations,  or  dashing  about  in  the  air — looking  at  a  distance 
like  white  butterflies,  occasionally  returning  to  the  rock,  often 
completely  honeycombed  by  their  labours.  Near  Ashbourn 
in  Derbyshire  there  are  plenty  of  these  rocks,  where  the  Sand 
Martins  build  in  myriads,  tolerably  safe  except  from  the 
school-boy,  who  will  clamber  up  and  down  the  crumbling 
surface,  and  thrust  his  arm  into  the  holes,  perfectly  regard- 
less of  the  danger,  and  content  with  grasping  a  tuft  of  grass 
or  a  root  of  blackberry  as  an  anchorage.  I  have  seen  the 
Sand  Martins  there  engaged  in  mobbing  a  sparrow-hawk,  who, 
after  being  buffeted  about  for  some  time,  retaliated  by  seizing 
a  too  daring  Martin  and  carrying  it  off,  when  the  whole  scene 
was  changed — the  triumphant  jeerings  turned  into  cries  of 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


fear,  and  the  place  was  deserted  except  by  the  crafty  hawk 
and  his  screaming  prey.  The  eggs  are  five,  pinkish  white 
with  an  almost  imperceptible  dotting  of  red. 


CHELIDOX. — (Gr.  Xf7u6ui>,  a  Swallow.) 


Urbica.— (Lat.  of  the  city),  the  Martin, 

The  MARTIN  or  WINDOW  SWALLOW  reaches  this  country  a 
little  after  the  swallow,  and  almost  invariably  takes  possession 
of  its  old  nest,  which  it  repairs  about  May.  It  lays  five  eggs 
closely  resembling  those  of  the  sand  martin.  About  September 
immense  numbers  may  be  seen  perched  upon  houses  and  trees 
preparatory  to  their  departure.  The  dome  of  the  Radcliffe 
Library  at  Oxford  is  a  favourite  assembling  place  for  these  birds, 
where  they  may  be  seen  lingering  for  several  days  after  most 
of  their  fellows  have  vanished.  At  these  times  every  available 
point  is  covered  with  them.  The  dome  of  St.  Paul's  is  also  a 
favoured  spot. 

The  ESCULENT  SWALLOW,  whose  nests  are  considered  such 
a  delicacy  among  the  Chinese,  builds  its  singular  habitation  in 
the  sides  of  almost  inaccessible  cliff's,  so  that  the  business' of 
procuring  them  is  a  most  dangerous  task.  The  nature  of  the 
jelly-like  transparent  material  of  which  the  nests  are  made  is 
not  yet  known.  The  nests  are  found  in  Java. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family  III.  .  Coraciidse 
Sub-family  a  Coraciince. 

CORACIAS. — (Gr.  KopaKiaf,  like  a  Raven.) 


Garrula  (Lat.  talkative),  the  Holler. 

The  ROLLER  is  plentifully  found  in  most  parts  of  Europe, 
but  has  seldom  been  seen  in  England.  Its  mouth  is  slightly 
furnished  with  vibrissse,  like  those  of  the  nightjar.  It  is  a  very 
shy  bird,  frequenting  the  depths  of  the  forests.  It  builds  its 
nest  in  hollow  trees — some  say  in  banks — and  lays  from  four 
to  seven  white  eggs,  very  like  those  of  the  kingfisher.  Its  legs 
are  short,  and  the  upper  mandible  is  bent  over  the  lower  at  the 
extremity.  The  colouring  is  brilliant,  shades  of  blue  and  green 
prevailing.  Its  length  is  about  thirteen  inches. 


TROGON. 

The  magnificent  family  of  the  TROGONS  stands  preeminent 
in  beauty  and  brilliancy  of  plumage,  the  usual  tint  being  a 
metallic  golden  green,  boldly  contrasted  with  scarlet,  black, 
and  brown.  The  toes  are  placed  two  behind  and  two  before, 
like  those  of  the  woodpeckers. 

The  Resplendent  Trogon  is  the  most  gorgeous  of  all  this 


NATURAL  mSTORY. 
Family  IV.  Trogonldse. 

TUOGOV. 


Resplendens  (Lat.  shining),  the  Resplendent  Trogon. 

gorgeous  family.  Its  long  and  gracefully  curved  tail,  nearly 
three  feet  long ;  the  whole  of  the  upper  surface,  and  the 
throat,  are  a  glowing  green ;  the  breast  and  under  parts  are 
bright  crimson ;  the  middle  feathers  of  the  tail  black,  and  the 
outer  feathers  white.  This  splendid  bird  is  an  inhabitant  of 
Mexico,  and  was  used  by  the  Mexican  nobles  as  an  ornament 
to  their  head  dress.  From  the  feathers  of  these  and  other 
Trogons  the  mosaic  pictures  of  the  Mexicans  were  made.  One 
of  these,  most  delicately  and  beautifully  executed,  containing 
many  figures,  is  now  in  the  Ashmolean  Museum  at  Oxford.  It 
is  there  said  to  be  made  of  humming-birds'  feathers.  The  sub- 
ject is  "  Christ  fainting  under  the  cross."  The  whole  picture 
is  about  the  size  of  the  palm  of  the  hand,  and  the  figures  are 
barely  half  an  inch  in  height,  yet  the  very  expression  of  the 
features  is  preserved. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family  V Alcedinidse. — (Lat.  Alcedo,  a  Kingfisher.) 

Sub-family  a. .  Alcedinince. 


Hispida  (Lat  rough),  the  Kingfisher. 

The  peculiarities  of  their  form  immediately  distinguish  the 
KINGFISHERS  from  other  birds.  The  disproportionate  length  of 
the  bill  is  their  chief  characteristic. 

The  Common  Kingfisher  is  found  in  most  parts  of  England. 
Scarcely  anything  more  beautiful  can  be  conceived  than  the 
metallic  glitter  of  its  plumage  as  it  glides  along  the  banks  of 
the  river,  or  darts  into  the  water  after  its  struggling  prey. 
Its  usual  method  of  fishing  is  by  placing  itself  on  a  stump  or 
stone  overhanging  the  water,  from  which  spot  it  watches  for 
the  unsuspecting  fish  beneath.  After  a  fish  is  caught,  the  bird 
kills  it  by  beating  it  several  times  against  its  resting-place, 
and  then  swallows  it,  head  foremost.  Sometimes  it  does  not 
exercise  sufficient  caution  in  its  devouring  propensities.  A 
heedless  Kingfisher  was  exhibited  at  the  Ashmolean  Society, 
which  had  been  found  dead  with  a  peculiarly  large  minnow 
firmly  fixed  in  its  throat. 

It  lays  its  eggs  in  holes  bored  in  the  banks  of  rivers  or 
ponds,  and  appears  to  build  no  nest.  A  pair  of  kingfishers, 
for  two  successive  years  inhabited  a  bank  of  a  very  small 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  231 

stream,  little  more  than  a  drain,  at  little  Hinton,  Wiltshire, 
where  no  fish  lived,  nor  were  there  any  to  be  found  within  a 
considerable  distance.  The  eggs  are  from  four  to  seven  in 
number,  of  a  pearly  whiteness,  and  remarkably  globular  in 
shape.  In  many  parts  of  the  country  it  is  fully  believed  that 
if  a  kingfisher  is  dried  and  suspended  by  the  beak,  the  breast 
will  always  turn  in  the  direction  of  the  wind.  This  belief  has 
caused  the  death  of  no  few  kingfishers,  whose  suspended  bodies 
may  be  seen  in  many  a  cottage,  their  brilliant  blue  and  red 
plumage  rotating  in  a  most  impartial  manner.  The  length  of 
this  bird  is  seven  inches. 


Family  VI.  .  .  Meropidse. 

Sub-family  a. .  Meropince. 

MEROPS.— (Gr.  Me'poi/;.) 


Apiaster  (Lat.  Bee-eater.) 

The  BEE-EATER  is  common  on  the  Continent,  but  seldom 
visits  England.  In  appearance  it  is  not  very  unlike  the  king- 
fisher, both  in  shape  and  its  brilliant  colours.  It  has  long 
been  celebrated  for  the  havoc  it  causes  among  the  inhabitants 
of  the  hive,  although  it  does  not  restrict  itself  to  those  insects, 
but  pursues  wasps,  butterflies,  &c.,  on  the  wing,  with  great 
activity.  Like  the  kingfisher,  it  lays  its  eggs  in  holes  bored  in 
banks.  The  eggs  are  white,  and  from  four  to  seven  in  number. 
Its  length  is  eleven  inches. 


232  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Tribe  II.  ...  TENUIROSTRES.— (Lat.  Slender-billed.) 
Family  I.  ...  Upupidse. — (Lat  Hoopoe  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.    Upupince. 

ITPUPA. 


Epops  (Gr.  "Enro^),  the  Hoopoe. 

The  HOOPOE,  one  of  the  most  elegant  birds  that  visit  this 
country,  is,  unfortunately,  a  very  rare  guest,  and  seldom,  if  ever, 
breeds  here.  Its  beautiful  crest  can  be  raised  or  depressed  at 
pleasure,  but  is  seldom  displayed  unless  the  bird  is  excited 
from  some  cause.  Its  food  consists  of  insects,  which  it  first 
batters  and  moulds  into  an  oblong  mass,  and  then  swallows, 
with  a  peculiar  jerk  of  the  head.  In  Yarrell's  British  Birds, 
there  is  a  very  interesting  account  of  a  tame  Hoopoe  in  the 
possession  of  Mr.  Bartlett. 

In  France  Hoopoes  are  very  common,  and  may  be  seen  ex- 
amining old  and  rotten  stumps  for  the  insects  that  invariably 
congregate  in  such  places.  There  they  may  be  seen  in  flocks, 
but  they  never  seem  to  come  over  to  England  in  greater 


NATURAL  "HISTORY.  '233 

numbers  than  one  pair  at  a  time.  M.  Beckstein  gives  a  curi- 
ous account  of  the  attitude  assumed  by  the  Hoopoe  on  per- 
ceiving a  large  bird  in  the  air.  "  As  soon  as  they  perceived  a 
raven  or  even  a  pigeon,  they  were  on  their  bellies  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  their  wings  stretched  out  by  the  side  of 
the  head,  so  that  the  large  quill  feathers  touched  :  the  head 
leaning  on  the  back  with  the  bill  pointing  upwards.  In  this 
curious  posture  they  might  be  taken  for  an  old  rag !"  It  lays 
from  four  to  seven  grey  eggs  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree.  Its 
length  is  one  foot. 


Family  II.    Trochilidse. 
TROCHILUS.— (Gr. 


Colubris  (Lat.  like  a  snake),  the  Ruby-throated  Humming-bird. 

These  little  living  gems  are  exclusively  found  in  the  New 
World,  especially  about  the  tropical  parts,  becoming  gradually 
scarcer  as  we  recede  from  the  tropics  in  either  direction.  Only 
two  species  are  known  to  exist  in  the  northern  parts  but  in 
the  central  portions  and  in  the  islands  about  Florida  they  ab- 
solutely swarm.  They  glance  about  in  the  sunshine,  looking 
like  streaks  of  brilliant  light,  and  so  rapid  is  the  vibration  of 
their  fine  and  elastic  wings,  that  when  hovering  over  a  flower, 


NATURAt   HISTORY. 
ORNISMTA. — (Gr.  "Opvtf ,  a  bird ;  //i>f,  a  mouse.) 


Gouldii  (Lat.  of  Gould),  Gould's  Hummingbird. 
Sappho  (Gr.  proper  name),  the  Bar-tailed  Humming-bird. 

Cora  (proper  name),  the  Cora  Humming-bird. 

Chrysolopha  (Gr.  Xpvoof ,  gold ;  Zo^of,  a  crest),  the  Double-crested 

Humming-bird. 

a  humming  or  buzzing  sound  is  produced,  from  which  pecu- 
liarity the  name  of  HUMMING-BIRD  has  been  given  them  in  al- 
most every  language.  "Waterton's  description  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Humming-bird  in  the  sun  is  very  characteristic. 

"  Though  least  in  size,  the  glittering  mantle  of  the  Hum- 
ming-bird entitles  it  to  the  first  place  in  the  list  of  the  birds 
of  the  New  World.  It  may  truly  be  called  the  Bird  of  Para- 
dise ;  and  had  it  existed  in  the  Old  World,  it  would  have 
claimed  the  title  instead  of  the  bird  which  has  now  the  honour 
to  bear  it.  See  it  darting  through  the  air  almost  as  quick  as 
thought!  now  it  is  within  a  yard  of  your  face — in  an  instant 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  235 

gone — now  it  flutters  from  flower  to  flower  to  sip  the  silver 
dew — it  is  now  a  ruby — now  a  topaz — now  an  emerald — now 
all  burnished  gold." 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  a  common  insect  called  the  Hum- 
ming-bird Moth  is  formed  on  precisely  the  same  principle, 
and  flies  in  just  the  same  manner.  This  moth  is  furnished, 
like  the  Humming-bird,  with  rigid  sharp  wings ;  instead  of 
the  long  slender  bill  and  longer  tongue  of  the  Humming-bird, 
the  moth  is  furnished  with  an  exceedingly  long  and  flexible 
proboscis,  which  it  uses  in  the  same  manner,  i.  e.  in  thrusting 
into  the  interior  of  flowers  while  the  creature  is  hovering 
above  them.  The  moth  also  possesses  a  kind  of  moveable 
tail  wherewith  to  direct  its  course.  The  description  of  a 
Humming-bird  hovering  over  a  flower  will  exactly  serve  for 
the  moth,  save  that  the  moth  lacks  the  brilliant  plumage  of 
the  bird.  Gardens  are  a  great  attraction  to  this  moth,  and  if 
the  observer  is  very  quiet,  while  looking  at  a  flower,  he  sud- 
denly sees  an  insect  apparently  suspended  over  it  exploring 
the  flower  with  its  proboscis.  It  moves  from  flower  to  flower, 
always  balancing  itself  over  them  by  its  wings.  Let  the  ob- 
server move  but  his  hand,  and  it  is  gone — has  vanished  as 
mysteriously  as  it  came. 

In  the  same  way,  the  Humming-bird  hovers  over  flowers, 
not  only  to  extract  the  honey  and  dew,  but  to  search  for  the 
little  insects  that  are  always  to  be  found  in  such  places. 
Speaking  of  the  Ruby-throated  Humming-bird,  Waterton  ob- 
serves : — 

"  It  seems  to  be  an  erroneous  opinion  that  the  Humming- 
bird lives  entirely  on  honey-dew.  Almost  every  flower  of 
the  tropical  climates  contains  insects  of  one  kind  or  other ; 
now,  the  Humming-bird  is  most  busy  about  the  flowers  an 
hour  or  two  after  sunrise,  and  after  a  shower  of  rain,  and  it 
is  just  at  this  time  that  the  insects  come  out  to  the  edge  of 
the  flower  in  order  that  the  sun's  rays  may  dry  the  nocturnal 
dew  and  rain  which  they  have  received.  On  opening  the 
stomach  of  the  Humming-bird,  dead  insects  are  almost  always 
found  there." 

The  tongue  is  formed  much  like  that  of  the  woodpecker, 
being  curled  round  the  head,  under  the  skin,  and  thus  capable 
of  being  darted  to  a  considerable  distance. 


236  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

There  are  an  immense  number  of  species  of  these  exquisite 
birds,  varying  from  the  size  of  a  swift  to  that  of  a  humble  bee. 
Any  description  of  them  is  impossible — they  must  be  seen. 
Fortunately,  the  magnificent  collection  brought  to  England 
by  that  most  indefatigable  and  enterprising  naturalist,  Mr. 
Gould,  places  it  in  the  power  of  every  one  to  view  these  living 
gems  in  all  the  attitudes  of  life,  and  surrounded  with  the  ap- 
propriate vegetation.  They  need  nothing  but  motion.  It 
appears  that  cold  is  destructive  to  the  Humming-birds.  Wilson 
says : — 

"  This  little  bird  is  extremely  susceptible  of  cold,  and  if 
long  deprived  of  the  animating  influence  of  the  sunbeams, 
droops,  and  soon  dies.  A  very  beautiful  male  was  brought 
me  this  season,  which  I  put  into  a  wire  cage,  and  placed  in  a 
retired  shaded  part  of  the  room.  After  fluttering  about  for 
some  time,  the  weather  being  uncommonly  cool,  it  clung  by 
the  wires,  and  hung  in  a  seemingly  torpid  state  for  a  whole 
forenoon.  No  motion  whatever  of  the  lungs  could  be  per- 
ceived on  the  closest  inspection ;  though  at  other  times  this 
is  remarkably  observable ;  the  eyes  were  shut,  and  when 
touched  by  the  finger  it  gave  no  signs  of  life  or  motion.  I 
carried  it  out  to  the  open  air,  and  placed  it  directly  in  the 
rays  of  the  sun  in  a  sheltered  situation.  In  a  few  seconds 
respiration  became  very  apparent ;  the  bird  breathed  faster 
and  faster,  opened  its  eyes,  and  began  to  look  about  with  as 
much  seeming  vivacity  as  ever.  After  it  had  completely  re- 
covered I  restored  it  to  liberty  ;  and  it  flew  off"  to  the  withered 
top  of  a  pear-tree,  where  it  sat  for  some  time,  dressing  its 
disordered  plumage,  and  then  shot  ofFlike  a  meteor."* 

Fear  will  also  produce  the  same  effect,  as  they  have  re- 
peatedly died  when  caught  in  a  common  gauze  net,  which 
does  not  injure  even  the  delicate  scales  of  the  butterfly's  wing. 
They  are  very  quarrelsome  little  creatures,  and  frequently 
fight  with  expanded  crests  and  ruffled  feathers  until  they  fall 
exhausted  to  the  ground. 

The  nests  are  very  neat  and  beautiful,  and,  as  may  be 
imagined  from  the  diminutive  size  of  the  little  architect,  exceed- 
ingly small.  They  are  composed  of  down,  cotton,  &c.,  and  are 

*  Wilson's  Ornithology,  vol.  ii.  p.  30. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  237 

sometimes  covered  on  the  outside  with  mosses  and  lichens. 
Waterton  relates  a  curious  formation  of  the  nest  of  one  par- 
ticular species,  whose  habitations  are  built  at  the  extremity  of 
thin  branches. 

"  Instinct  teaches  one  species,  which  builds  its  nest  on  the 
slender  branches  which  hang  over  the  rivers,  to  make  a  rim 
round  the  mouth  of  the  nest,  turned  inwards,  so  as  to  prevent 
the  eggs  from  rolling  out.  .  .  The  trees  on  the  river's  bank  are 
particularly  exposed  to  violent  gusts  of  wind,  and  when  I  have 
been  sitting  in  the  canoe  and  looking  on,  I  have  seen  the 
slender  branch  of  the  tree  which  held  the  Humming-bird's  nest 
so  violently  shaken,  that  the  bottom  of  the  inside  of  the  nest  has 
appeared,  and  had  there  been  nothing  at  the  rim  to  stop  the 
eggs,  they  must  inevitably  have  been  jerked  out  into  the  water." 


Family  III.  .  .  Certhidse.  —  (Gr. 
Sub-family  a.  Certhinae. 


Creeper  kind.) 


Familiaris  (Lat.  familiar),  the  Creeper. 

The  CREEPERS  are  remarkable  for  their  long  slender  bills 
and  claws,  adapted  for  climbing  trees,  and  capturing  insects. 
The  common  Creeper  may  often  be  seen  in  this  country,  run- 
ning spirally  up  the  trunks  of  trees,  and  probing  the  bark 
with  its  bill,  and  so  firmly  do  the  claws  hold,  that  when  shot 


238  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

it  does  not  always  fall,  but  remains  clinging  to  the  tree.  The 
nest  of  this  elegant  little  bird  is  made  in  a  decayed  tree.  The 
eggs  are  from  seven  to  nine  in  number,  grey  with  dusky  spots. 


Sub-family  b. .  Sittince. 
SITTA. — (Gr.  Strr??.) 


Europsea  (Lat.  European),  the  Nuthatch. 

The  term  NUTHATCH  well  explains  the  habits  of  this  inter- 
esting little  bird.  As  may  be  imagined  from  its  name,  nuts 
form  a  considerable  portion  of  its  food,  but  it  also  feeds  largely 
on  insects,  pecked  from  the  bark  of  trees.  While  searching  after 
insects,  it  displays  an  activity  even  surpassing  the  creeper,  as  it 
runs  up  and  down  the  trunk,  mostly  descending  with  its  head 
downwards,  a  feat  beyond  the  capacity  of  either  creeper  or 
woodpecker.  In  order  to  break  the  shell  of  nuts,  it  contrives  to 
fix  the  nut  in  some  crevice,  and  then  grasping  with  its  power- 
ful feet,  it  swings  its  beak  against  the  nut  with  the  whole  force 
of  its  body,  and  soon  splits  the  nut  in  pieces.  In  spots  frequent- 
ed by  this  bird,  heaps  of  nut-shells  may  be  seen,  as  it  usually 
resorts  to  a  place  where  it  has  found  a  convenient  resting-place 
for  the  nut,  just  as  heaps  of  snail-shells  may  be  often  found  by 
stones  which  the  thrush  has  found  fitted  for  breaking  them. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  230 

It  has  hitherto  been  found  impossible  to  keep  the  Nuthatch 
in  captivity.  Its  restless  spirit  and  obstinate  perseverance  in 
pecking  at  its  prison  speedily  kill  it ;  and  although  several 
have  been  placed  in  confinement,  none  have  been  recorded  to 
survive  beyond  the  third  day.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Bree  relates 
that  the  bill  of  a  Nuthatch  which  he  had  taken  in  a  common 
brick  trap  was  worn  away  to  barely  two-thirds  of  its  usual 
length  by  the  unremitting  attempts  of  the  bird  to  escape  from 
its  prison. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  usually  made  in  a  hole  in  a  decayed 
tree,  and  as  is  usual  with  nests  made  in  holes,  it  is  a  very 
rough  fabrication,  composed  of  a  few  dried  leaves.  The  bird 
is  also  remarkable  from  its  habit  of  plastering  up  the  hole 
with  mud  when  it  is  too  large  to  suit  it.  The  eggs  are  from 
five  to  seven  in  number,  of  a  whitish  colour,  spotted  with  red- 
dish brown. 


Sub-family  c.  Menurince. 
TROGLODYTES. — (Gr.  Tpu-yhodvrif,  &  creeper  into  caves.) 


Parvulus  (Lat.  very  small),  the  Wren. 

The  WREN  shares  with  the  robin  some  immunity  from 
juvenile  sportsmen.  Although  it  may  be  fearlessly  hopping 
about  in  the  hedge,  jerking  its  funny  little  tail,  and  playing 
•its  antics  just  at  the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  few  boys  will  fire  at 


240  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

it — a  privilege  for  which  it  is  difficult  to  give  a  reason,  except, 
perhaps,  the  very  incomprehensible  assertion  that  "  The  robin 
and  the  wren  are  God  Almighty's  cock  and  hen  ;"  although 
why  these  two  birds,  hoth  proverbially  quarrelsome  and  pug- 
nacious, should  be  selected,  to  the  exclusion  of  others,  is  diffi- 
cult to  say.  Perhaps  the  robin  enjoys  his  immunity  from  the 
"  Babes  in  the  Wood,"  and  the  wren  makes  a  convenient  rhyme. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  to  be  wished  that  a  similar  rhyme  ex- 
isted, including  the  owl  and  the  kestrel. 

A  singular  anecdote  is  related  of  this  bird. 

"  In  the  end  of  June,  1835,  a  person  was  shooting  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Bandrakehead,  in  the  parish  of  Colton,  West- 
moreland :  he  killed  a  brace  of  blue  titmice  (Parus  cceruleus), 
which  some  time  before  had  been  observed  to  be  constructing  a 
nest,  in  the  end  of  a  house  belonging  to  a  Mr.  Innes  of  the  same 
place.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
titmice  had  completed  the  time  of  incubation,  and  that  their 
death  had  consequently  left  their  offspring  in  a  state  of  utter 
destitution.  This,  however,  was  not  long  permitted  to  continue, 
for  the  chirping  of  the  young  birds  attracted  the  attention,  and 
excited  the  compassion  of  a  wren ;  which,  since  that  period, 
adopted  the  nestlings,  and  was  daily  engaged  in  rearing  and 
feeding  them,  with  the  affectionate  kindness  and  unremitting 
assiduity  of  a  parent  bird." 

The  nest  of  the  Wren  is  built  in  any  convenient  cranny  ;  an 
ivy-covered  tree,  the  thatch  of  a  barn,  or  a  warm  scarecrow, 
are  all  used  by  this  fearless  little  bird.  The  nest  is  usually  of 
an  oven-like  shape,  always  covered  on  the  outside  with  some 
material  resembling  the  colour  of  the  objects  round  it,  such  as 
green  moss  if  built  among  ivy,  or  brown  lichen  if  built  on  a 
rock  or  in  the  fork  of  a  withered  branch.  The  eggs  are  six  or 
eight  in  number — white,  speckled  with  reddish  brown. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


211 


Tribe  III DENTIROSTRES.— (Lat.  tooth-billed.) 

Family  I Luscinidse. — (Lat.  Lusdnia,  a  Nightingale.    Nightin- 
gale kind) 
Sub-family  a. .  Luscinince. 

CALAMODYTA. — (Gr.  Kal.a[iodvTT)f,  a  diver  in  reeds.) 


Locustella,  the  Crrasshopper  Warbler. 

WHILE  walking  along  the  hedges  during  the  spring,  an  inces- 
sant cry,  closely  resembling  that  of  the  grasshopper,  and  easily 
to  be  taken  for  it,  is  heard  proceeding  from  the  hedge.  This 
cry  proceeds  from  a  little  bird,  called  on  that  account  the  GRASS- 
HOPPER WARBLER.  The  little  creature  keeps  so  close  that  it 
is  very  difficult  to  catch  even  a  casual  glance  at  it,  as  it  flits 
along  th3  bottom  of  the  hedge. 

The  nest  is  carefully  concealed,  and  very  difficult  to  find. 
It  is  composed  of  dried  grass,  and  is  usually  hidden  by  the  tufts 
of  herbage  among  which  it  is  built.  The  eggs  are  from  five  to 
seven  in  number ;  white,  speckled  with  red.  The  length  of 
the  bird  is  five  inches  and  a  half;  the  third  primary  feather  is 
the  longest. 

L 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Philomela  (Gr.  QiAOfjijha,  proper  name),  the  Nightingale. 

"  Tiuu  tiuu  tiuu  tiuu — Spe  tiu  zqua — 
Tio  tio  tio  tio  tio  tio  tio  tix — Qutio  qutio  qutio  qutio — 
Zquo  zqup  zquo  zqup — Tzu  tzu  tzii  tzii  tzu  tzii  tzii  tzii  tzu  tzi — 
Quorror  tiu  zqua  pipiquisi — Zozozozozozozozozozozozo  zirrhading  !  <fec.  &c." 

So  does  a  well-known  naturalist  endeavour  to  express  the 
wild  and  spiritual  melody  of  this  most  exquisite  of  British  song- 
birds, the  NIGHTINGALE.  And  in  truth  it  is  peihaps  as  good  a 
description  as  can  be  given  without  the  aid  of  music.  Even  its 
own  marvellous  notes  sound  comparatively  weak  unless  backed 
by  the  accompaniments  of  night  and  tranquillity ;  for  the  in- 
imitable song  of  this  Mendelssohn  among  birds  loses  great  part 
of  its  beauty  when  uttered  by  day,  deadened  and  confused  with 
other  sounds. 

In  some  counties  of  England  it  is  never  found,  but  in  many 
its  nightly  strains  are  frequently  heard.  The  fields  and  College 
gardens  of  Oxford  are  full  of  Nightingales,  whose  songs  add 
greatly  to  the  effect  of  the  scene.  "Well  may  Isaak  Walton  say 
in  his  delightfully  quaint  language  : 

"  But  the  Nightingale,  another  of  my  airy  creatures, 
breathes  such  sweet,  loud  music  out  of  her  instrumental 
throat,  that  it  might  make  mankind  to  think  that  miracles 
are  not  ceased.  He  that  at  midnight  when  the  very  labourer 
sleeps  securely,  should  hear,  as  I  have  very  often,  the  clear 
airs,  the  sweet  descents,  the  natural  rising  and  falling,  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  243 

doubling  and  redoubling  of  her  voice,  might  well  be  lifted 
above  earth,  and  say,  '  Lord,  what  music  hast  thou  provided 
for  the  saints  in  Heaven,  when  thou  affordest  bad  men  such 
music  on  earth  /'  " 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  not  only  in  this  bird,  but  in 
other  singing  birds,  the  male  is  the  vocalist,  so  that  Milton's 
address  to  the  "  sweet  songstress"  is  unfortunately  not  quite 
so  correct  as  poetical ;  a  misfortune  of  frequent  occurrence. 


SYLVIA. — (Proper  name.} 


Undata  (Lat.  wavy),  the  Dartford  Warbler. 

The  WAB.BLERS  are  spread  over  almost  the  entire  globe, 
and  many  gladden  this  country  with  their  pleasant  songs. 
The  Dartford  Warbler  derives  its  name  from  the  place  where 
it  was  first  noticed  as  a  British  bird.  It  is  extremely  small, 
hardly  larger  than  a  wren,  but  the  length  of  its  tail  increases 
its  apparent  size.  Furze-bushes  form  its  usual  residence. 
There  it  may  be  seen  hovering  over  the  tops  of  the  bushes, 
uttering  its  curious  quavering  song,  at  the  same  time  erecting 
the  feathers  of  its  head,  and  puffing  up  its  throat.  It  lays  its 
eggs  in  a  nest  carefully  concealed  in  the  centre  of  a  furze- bush. 
The  eggs  are  of  a  greenish  white,  speckled  with  brown  spots. 
Its  length  is  five  inches. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

SYLVIA. 


Cinerga  (Lat.  ashy),  the  Whitethroat. 

The  pretty  little  WHITETHROAT  is  one  of  the  migratory 
birds,  remaining  with  us  during  the  summer.  Few  copses 
are  without  the  singular  and  pleasing  song  of  the  Whitethroat. 
It  derives  its  name  from  the  white  colour  of  its  throat  and 
abdomen,  which  renders  it  a  conspicuous  bird.  Its  curious 
habit  of  flying  upwards  from  its  perch,  and  again  descending 
on  the  same  spot,  immediately  points  it  out. 

It  builds  a  small  nest,  mostly  among  brambles  or  on  a 
stump  densely  covered  with  weeds.  The  eggs  are  five  in 
number — a  greyish  white  thickly  spotted  with  brown.  The 
length  of  the  bird  is  not  quite  six  inches. 

The  BLACKCAP,  almost  a  rival  to  the  nightingale,  is  at  once 
recognised  by  the  black  colour  of  the  crown  of  the  head. 
Only  the  males,  however,  are  thus  decorated,  the  crown  of 
the  head  of  the  female  being  dark  brown.  Its  sweet  notes 
are  poured  forth  from  the  concealment  of  some  thicket  or 
tuft  of  trees,  where  it  trusts  to  the  density  of  the  foliage  to 
elude  discovery.  Like  the  mocking-bird  of  America,  it  can 
imitate  the  songs  of  other  birds  with  such  perfect  inflection 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  detect  the  imposture. 

Among  bushes  and  brambles  it  builds  its  nest,  which  is 
made  of  dried  grass,  moss,  and  hairs.  The  eggs  are  five  in 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

SYLVIA. 


Atricapilla  (Lat.  blackhaired),  the  Blackcap  Warbler. 

number — reddish  brown,  marked  with  dark  spots.  The  length 
of  the  bird  is  nearly  six  inches ;  the  third  primary  feather  is 
the  longest. 

The  CHIFF-CHAFF,  so  called  from  its  peculiar  cry,  is  almost 
the  first  of  the  Warblers  that  visits  us  in  the  spring,  and  one 
of  the  last  to  leave  us  in  the  autumn,  sometimes  remaining 
here  until  the  middle  of  October.  This  little  bird  is  found 


Rufa  (Lat.  ruddy),  the  Chiff-chaff. 

in  most  of  the  southern  counties  of  England,  and  in  Wales, 
but  has  not  been  noticed  north  of  Northumberland.     On  its 


246  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

first  arrival  it  feeds  on  the  leaf-rolling  caterpillars  that  infest 
the- leaves  and  early  buds  of  trees,  thereby  doing  great  service 
to  the  gardener,  who  especially  detests  all  "  blight,"  as  he  calls 
these  insidious  little  devourers. 

The  nest  of  the  Chiff-chaff,  like  that  of  the  wren,  is  oval  or 
rounded,  and  entered  by  a  hole  at  the  side.  It  is  placed  near 
the  ground  in  a  bush,  or  sometimes  resting  on  the  hedge-bank. 
Its  eggs  are  six  in  number,  speckled  with  purplish  red  on  a 
white  ground.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  not  quite  five  inches  ; 
the  third  and  fourth  primary  feathers  are  the  longest. 


— (Lat.) 


Cristatus  (Lat  crested),  the  Golden-crested  Wren. 

The  GOLDEN-CRESTED  REGULUS,  as  it  ought  properly  to  be 
called,  is  one  of  the  smallest  of  British  birds.  Fir  plantations 
are  its  favourite  resort,  and  there  it  may  be  seen  hopping  about 
the  branches,  running  round  them,  head  downwards,  in  search 
of  the  insects  hidden  beneath  the  bark.  Its  name  is  derived 
from  the  orange-coloured  tuft  of  feathers  on  the  crown  of  its 
head,  for  which  reason  it  is  often  called  the  Kinglet.  Its 
note  is  weak,  but  very  pleasing,  and  much  resembles  that  of 
the  common  wren.  The  female  is  very  bold  while  sitting, 
and  will  permit  close  observation  without  quitting  the  nest. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  247 

The  nest  itself  is  an  object  of  great  beauty.  It  is  usually 
placed  on  the  under  side  of  a  fir  branch,  sheltered  by  the  over- 
hanging foliage,  and  sometimes  further  protected  by  a  large 
bunch  of  cones  forming  a  kind  of  roof  over  it.  The  eggs  are 
from  six  to  ten  in  number,  very  small,  and  of  a  reddish  white 
colour.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  three  inches  and  a  half. 
The  fourth  or  fifth  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

Sub-family  b.  JSrythacince. 
RUTICILLA. — ( Lat.  sparkling.) 


Phoenicura  (Gr.  $aivu,  I  display ;  ovpu,  a  tail),  the  Redstart. 

The  REDSTART  derives  its  name  from  the  bright  reddish 
chestnut  colour  of  the  upper  tail  coverts  and  tail  feathers,  which 
appear  very  conspicuous  as  the  bird  flits  from  one  tree  to  an- 
other, or  dashes  off  when  startled.  It  inhabits  the  skirts  of 
forests,  copses,  gardens,  and  especially  frequents  old  ivied  walls, 
where  numbers  of  the  nests  may  be  found.*  The  song  of  this 
bird  is  not  very  powerful,  but  the  notes  are  peculiarly  sweet. 
While  singing  it  often  changes  its  situation,  occasionally  sing- 
ing as  it  flies. 

The  nest  is  placed  usually  in  a  hole  in  a  wall,  or  in  a  hollow 

*  In  1847,  I  found  a  Redstart's  nest  built  in  a  hole  of  a  wall,  forming  one  side  of  a 
narrow  passage  in  Merton  College,  Oxford.  The  eggs  were  nearly  hatched,  and  the 
birds  did  not  seem  to  be  disturbed  by  the  constant  passing  of  servants  with  their 
paraphernalia  of  brooms,  pails,  <5cr. 


248  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

tree.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a  greenish  blue  colour, 
closely  resembling  those  of  the  Hedge  Accentor.  The  length  of 
the  bird  is  rather  more  than  five  inches.  The  fourth  primary 
feather  is  the  longest. 

ERYTHACUS.* — (Gr.  ' 


Rubecula  (Lat.  a  Redbreast),  the  Redbreast. 

The  REDBREAST,  or  ROBIN  REDBREAST,  as  it  is  affectionate- 
ly termed,  has,  by  its  fearless  conduct,  earned  itself  golden 
opinions  from  all  kinds  of  men.  Every  nation  seems  to  pro- 
tect it.  Even  the  American  Redbreast  lives  unharmed,  pos- 
sibly on  account  of  its  connexion  with  its  English  relation, 
whose  oft-told  charity  towards  the  Babes  in  the  Wood  has 
turned  aside  from  its  posterity  even  the  unsparing  hand  of  the 
sporting  schoolboy. 

In  the  winter,  when  the  berries  are  gone,  insects  dead,  and 
the  worms  hidden  under  the  hard  frozen  soil,  then  the  Robin 
flies  for  refuge  to  the  habitations  of  man  for  shelter  and  food. 
It  is  very  amusing  to  see  the  half  trusting,  half  fearful  look 
with  which  it  hops  to  the  window-sill  for  the  first  time. 
After  a  while,  it  becomes  bold,  and  taps  at  the  window,  if  the 
expected  crumbs  are  not  thrown  out.  Before  very  long,  it 
ventures  to  enter  the  room,  hops  about  on  the  table,  and 

*  This  word  ought  to  be  spelt  ERITHACCS,  but  in  the  Brit.  Mus.  Catalogue  it  i« 
spelt  as  above. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  249 

quite  seems  to  consider  as  a  right  what  was  first  merely  a  fa- 
vour.* When  once  established,  it  is  very  jealous,  and  will  not 
suffer  a  friend  to  be  partaker  of  the  same  comforts,  but  attacks 
him  with  the  greatest  fury ;  so  the  unfortunate  second  comer 
has  to  wait  shivering  outside  the  window,  with  his  feathers 
puffed  up,  and  his  little  bright  eye  glancing  from  the  depths  of 
the  plumage. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  built  in  a  crevice  of  an  old  ivied  wall, 
in  a  bank,  sheltered  by  the  roots  of  trees,  or  in  a  mass  of  ivy 
clinging  to  an  old  tree.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a  pale 
grey  colour,  profusely  marked  with  reddish  spots. 


Sub-family  c.  Accentorince. 
ACCENTOR. — (Lat.  a  Singer.) 


Modularius  (Lat.  warbling],  the  Hedge  Accentor. 

The  HEDGE  ACCENTOR,  or  HEDGE  SPARROW,  is  one  of  our 
commonest  English  birds.  It  closely  resembles  the  common 
sparrow  in  appearance.  The  nest  is  built  in  holes,  and  con- 
tains five  blue  eggs. 

*  About  the  year  1843,  a  Robin  used  to  frequent  our  house.  He  was  so  tame  as  to 
answer  to  his  name  "  Bob."  and  continued  his  attachment  even  through  the  summer. 
When  the  rabbits  were  fed,  Bob  always  came  to  assist,  and  usually  contrived  to 
perch  on  the  edge  of  the  pan  from  which  the  rabbit  was  eating.  Both  parties  seem- 
ed perfectly  satisfied,  and  Bunny  and  Bob  always  continued  very  good  friends. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.  Parince. 
PAEUS. 


Major  (Lat.  greater),  the  Great  Titmouse. 

,The  birds  of  the  family  of  the  TITS  are  remarkable  for  their 
active  habits  among  the  branches  of  trees.  There  are  few  who 
have  not  seen  these  beautiful  and  interesting  little  birds  twist- 
ing round  the  branches,  perfectly  unconcerned  at  the  presence 
of  the  spectator,  sometimes  hanging,  head  downwards,  some- 
times chasing  an  unlucky  beetle  along  the  bark,  and  invariably 
catching  it,  in  spite  of  its  swift  limbs  and  active  wings ;  some- 
times twisting  off  a  bud,  and  pulling  it  to  pieces  with  marvel- 
lous rapidity,  in  order  to  secure  the  lurking  caterpillar  within  ; 
sometimes  pecking  away  at  a  piece  of  loose  bark,  and  extract- 
ing an  unwilling  spider  by  one  of  its  legs,  left  incautiously  pro- 
jecting from  its  lurking-place.  Pity  it  is  that  their  funny  little 
sharp  beaks  should  ever  be  put  to  worse  uses ;  but  they  lie 
under  a  grave  imputation  of  using  these  very  beaks  in  the 
slaughter  of  the  defenceless  young  of  other  birds. 

The  GREAT  TITMOUSE  is  common  in  England,  frequenting 
gardens,  orchards,  copses,  &c.  During  the  spring  it  is  very 
active  in  the  capture  of  insects,  but  in  autumn  and  winter  it 
is  forced  to  content  itself  with  grains  and  seeds  of  various 
descriptions.  Gilbert  "White,  in  his  "  Selbourne,"  mentions 
that  he  has  seen  the  Great  Tit  "  while  it  hung  with  its  back 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  251 

downwards,  to  my  no  small  delight  and  admiration,  draw 
straws  lengthwise  from  the  eaves  of  thatched  houses,  in  order 
to  pull  out  the  flies  that  were  concealed  among  them,  and 
that  in  such  numbers  that  they  quite  defaced  the  thatch,  and 
gave  it  a  ragged  appearance." 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  built  in  a  hole  of  a  wall,  or  a 
decayed  tree,  and  in  it  are  placed  six  or  eight  eggs,  of  a  white 
colour,  spotted  with  reddish  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird 
is  about  six  inches. 


Cceruleus  (J.at,  blue),  the  Blue  Titmouse. 

The  little  BLUE  TITMOUSE  is  so  well  known  as  hardly  to 
require  any  description.  It  is  most  amusingly  courageous, 
and  from  the  strenuous  resistance  it  offers  to  its  capturer,  has 
acquired  from  rustic  boys  the  name  of  "  Billy-biter."  The 
angry  hiss  of  the  female  has  frequently  caused  an  intruding 
hand  to  be  rapidly  withdrawn,  for  the  sound  is  so  exceedingly 
like  the  hiss  of  an  irritated  snake,  and  the  little  beak  is  so 
sharp,  that  few  have  the  courage  to  proceed  with  their 
investigations.  A  pair  of  these  birds  built  their  nest  in  the 
coping  of  the  Great  Western  Railway,  at  the  Shrivenham 
station,  not  two  feet  from  the  fiery  and  noisy  engines,  which 
were  constantly  passing.  The  men  respected  the  courage  of 
the  little  birds,  and  this  whole  brood  was  hatched,  and  suffered 
to  fly  at  liberty. 

The  utter  contempt  which  this  bird  entertains  for  fire- 
arms often  leads  to  its  destruction,  for  when  the  disappointed 


252  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

schoolboy  has  been  wasting  his  powder  and  shot  in  attempting 
to  hit  larks  and  such  large  game,  he  consoles  himself  by 
shooting  the  unfortunate  titmouse,  who  will  allow  him  to 
come  so  close  that  few  vestiges  of  it  remain  except  a  tuft 
of  blue  feathers. 

The  eggs  of  the  Blue  Titmouse  are  from  six  to  eight  in 
number,  white,  marked  with  reddish  brown  spots.  Its  length 
is  about  four  inches  and  a  half. 


Caudatus  (Lat.  tailed),  the  Long-tailed  Titmouse. 

The  LONG-TAILED  TITMOUSE  is  another  well-known  species 
of  this  amusing  family.  Unlike  the  other  Tits,  it  does  not 
frequent  human  habitations  during  the  winter,  but  may  be 
seen  in  great  numbers  twisting  and  creeping  about  the  branches 
of  hedge-rows  and  field  trees.  In  the  summer  they  are  quite 
as  bold  as  their  relations,  and  especially  favour  apple-trees,  for 
the  sake  of  the  diseased  buds,  which  they  pick  ofi'  and  devour, 
thereby  drawing  upon  themselves  the  vengeance  of  the  gar- 
dener, who  prepares  his  gun,  fires  at  the  supposed  depredators, 
and  possibly  succeeds  in  killing  them  ;  but  he  has  also  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  more  damage  to  the  healthy  buds  by  his  spare 
shot,  than  a  score  of  tits  would  injure  during  the  entire 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  253 

The  beautiful  and  elaborate  nest  which  this  bird  constructs 
is  one  of  its  chief  peculiarities.  It  is  oval  in  shape,  and 
entirely  closed,  except  one  small  hole  at  the  side,  just  large 
enough  to  admit  the  bird.  The  exterior  of  the  nept  is  usually 
covered  with  lichens,  and  it  is  lined  with  a  thick  layer  of  soft 
feathers.  In  this  warm  and  elegant  habitation  from  ten  to 
fourteen  eggs  are  laid.  They  are  small  and  very  delicately 
spotted.  The  entire  length  of  the  bird  is  about  five  inches 
and  a  half. 


Sub-family  e.  Motacillince. 
MOTACILLA. — (Lat.  a  Wagtail.) 


Yarrellii  (Lat.  of  Yarrell),  the  Pied  Wagtail. 

The  WAGTAILS,  so  named,  from  the  almost  incessant  vibra- 
tion of  their  tails,  are  exclusively  confined  to  the  Old  World. 
The  PIED  WAGTAIL  is  the  most  common  of  its  race.  We  often 
see  it  pass  rapidly,  with  its  peculiar  dipping  flight ;  it  settles 
on  the  ground  and  wags  its  tail ;  it  runs  a  few  paces,  and 
wags  its  tail  again  ;  pecks  at  an  insect,  and  its  tail  again 
vibrates,  &c.  It  does  not  hop,  like  the  warblers,  finches, 
&c.,  but  runs  with  great  rapidity,  and  altogether  looks  very 
like  a  diminutive  magpie.  Sand  banks  by  the  sides  of  rivers 
are  the  usual  resort  of  these  birds,  where  they  may  almost 
always  be  seen,  running  about  by  the  water's  edge,  sometimes 


254  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

snatching  at  an  incautious  may-fly,  sometimes  wading  into 
the  water  after  a  caddis-worm  or  a  stray  grub, — nor  is  it  quite 
safe  for  a  minnow  to  come  too  near  the  surface — and  then 
flying  off  to  another  spot  to  repeat  the  same  manoauvres.  This 
bird  also  greatly  frequents  pastures,  and  may  be  seen  running 
about  among  the  cows  in  the  most  nonchalant  manner  ima- 
ginable, catching  the  flies  that  torment  those  animals  in  the 
summer,  or  flying  off  to  its  unfinished  nest  with  a  beak  full 
of  hairs.  Their  nests  are  built  near  the  water,  in  crevices 
among  stones,  or  in  the  hole  of  a  wall.  Frequently  when 
stones  are  piled  by  a  wet  quarry,  several  nests  may  be  found 
in  one  heap  of  stones.  The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number, 
of  a  dusky  white  colour,  spotted  with  ashy  brown.  The  length 
of  the  bird  is  seven  inches  and  a  half. 


MOTACILLA. 


Flava  (Lat.  yellow),  Yellow  Wagtail. 

The  YELLOW  WAGTAIL  is  very  similar  in  habits  to  the  more 
common  Pied  Wagtail,  but  the  yellow  tints  of  some  of  its 
feathers,  somewhat  resembling  those  of  the  Yellow  Hammer,  at 
once  distinguish  it. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  255 


ANTHUS. — (Lat.  a  Titlark.') 


Pratensis  (Lat.  of  a  Meadow),  the  Meadow  Pipit. 

The  MEADOW  PIPIT,  more  commonly  called  the  Titlark, 
resembles  the  true  Larks  in  the  long  hind  claw  and  peculiar 
plumage,  but  is  pointed  out  as  distinct,  from  the  different 
colour  of  the  bill.  Like  the  skylark,  it  sings  while  in  the 
air,  but  sometimes  also  pours  forth  its  musical  strains  while 
settled  upon  the  ground.  It  feeds  principally  on  slugs,  worms, 
and  insects,  which  it  chases  with  much  activity,  after  the 
manner  of  the  wagtails,  even  vibrating  its  tail  like  them. 
Hilly  grounds,  commons,  and  meadows  are  its  chief  resort  in 
summer,  but  during  September  and  October  flocks  of  these 
birds  may  be  seen  congregated  in  turnip  fields,  and  in  the 
winter  they  seek  the  protection  of  the  warm  hedge-rows. 

The  nest  of  the  Titlark  is  made  on  the  ground,  concealed 
by  a  tuft  of  grass.  There  are  usually  five  or  six  eggs,  light 
brown  in  colour,  spotted  with  a  darker  tint.  The  length  of 
the  bird  is  six  inches. 


256  NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family  II.  .  .  Turdidse. — (Lat.  Turdus,  a.  Thrush.     Thrush  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Formicarince. 

HYDROBATA. — (Gr.  "Tdwp,  water;  fiaivu,  I  go.) 


Cinclus  (Gr.  Kt'y/cAof),  the  Dipper. 

The  WATER  OUZEL,  or  DIPPER,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
of  our  native  birds.  It  is  found  principally  in  hilly  places 
where  there  are  clear  and  rapid  streams,  such  as  in  Derbyshire 
and  Yorkshire.  There  it  may  be  seen  to  go  through  its  far- 
famed  movements  under  the  water,  which  have  given  rise  to 
so  much  controversy.  It  dives  for  considerable  distances  with 
apparent  ease,  and  has  a  habit  of  dipping  and  rising  repeatedly, 
from  which  practice  its  name  has  been  derived. 

The  nest  is  usually  built  by  the  water  side,  and  is  most 
carefully  concealed.  In  general  appearance  it  is  not  unlike 
that  of  the  wren,  being  made  of  intertwined  mosses,  with  an 
entrance  at  the  side.  It  lays  five  largish  eggs,  of  a  pure  white. 
The  length  of  this  bird  is  about  seven  inches. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Sub-family  b.  Tardince. 


257 


Viscivorus  (Lat.   Viscus,  a  Misseltoe;  voro,  I  devour),  the  Misseltoe 
Thrush. 

The  MISSELTOE  THRUSH,  or  STORMCOCK,  according  to 
Waterton,  "  surpasses  all  other  thrushes  in  ^ize,  and  is  deci- 
dedly the  largest  songster  of  the  European  birds.  He  remains 
with  us  the  whole  of  the  year,  and  he  is  one  of  three  birds 
which  charm  us  with  their  melody  during  the  dreary  months 
of  winter,  when  the  throstle  and  lark  are  silent,  and  all  the 
migratory  birds  have  left  us,  to  sojourn  in  warmer  climates. 
He  appears  to  be  gregarious  in  the  months  of  August  and 
September."  "  This  bird,  though  usually  known  by  the  name 
of  the  Misseltoe  Thrush  in  many  parts  of  England,  is  invari- 
ably called  the  Stormcock  by  all  the  lower  orders  in  our 
neighbourhood  :  not  that  it  delights  in  storms  more  than  in 
fine  weather  ;  but  that  nature  has  taught  it  to  pour  forth  its 
melody  at  a  time  of  the  year  when  the  bleak  winds  of  winter 
roar  through  the  leafless  trees." 

It  is  very  fond  of  the  berries  of  the  misseltoe,  but  when 
they  fail  it  turns  its  attention  to  those  of  the  mountain  ash, 
which  are  almost  certain  to  attract  this  beautiful  and  powerful 


258  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

songster.     In  the  summer  it  devours  all  kinds  of  garden-fruits, 
especially  cherries  and  raspberries. 

During  the  breeding  season  it  is  very  pugnacious,  attacking 
and  driving  away  not  only  small  birds,  but  the  crow,  the 
magpie,  or  even  a  prowling  cat.  The  nest  is  very  large, 
always  built  in  a  tree,  and  containing  about  five  reddish 
spotted  eggs.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  eleven  inches. 


Pilaris  (Lat.  like  a  ball),  the  Fieldfare. 

The  FIELDFARE  is  properly  a  native  of  the  cold  regions  of 
Europe,  and  only  visits  this  country  during  the  cold  winter 
months.  From  its  excellence  as  an  adjunct  to  the  table,  it  is 
perseveringly  sought  after,  but  is  so  shy,  that  unless  the  bird 
is  very  busy  satisfying  its  hunger,  there  is  some  difficulty  in 
approaching  within  gun-range. 

It  builds  in  fir  or  pine-trees,  and  lays  several  bluish-green 
eggs,  spotted  with  brown.  Its  length  is  about  ten  inches. 

The  SONG-THRUSH,  THROSTLE  or  MAVIS,  is  deservedly  con- 
sidered one  of  our  best  singing  birds.  Its  powerful  and  rich 
notes  may  be  heard  even  during  the  month  of  January,  when 
most  of  the  other  singing  birds  are  either  silent,  or  have 
departed.  Its  nest  is  built  almost  before  any  other  bird  has 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

TURDUS. 


Musicus  (Lat.  musical),  the  Bong-Thrush. 

commenced,  and  may  often  be  seen  conspicuously  placed  in  a 
bush,  sometime  before  the  leaves  have  begun  to  sprout.  In 
order  to  defend  the  callow  young  from  the  cold  winds  of  the 
season  when  they  are  hatched,  the  nest  is  more  substantial 
than  birds  are  accustomed  to  build,  being  thickly  plastered 
within  with  a  coating  of  mud,  effectually  keeping  out  the 
chilling  blasts.  Were  it  only  for  its  singing  powers,  the 
Thrush  would  deserve  protection ;  but  the  services  it  renders 
to  the  gardener  in  devouring  insects,  snails,  &c.,  entitle  it  to 
a  double  share  of  regard. 

It  is  very  amusing  to  watch  the  thrush  listening  for  the 
sound  of  the  earth-worm  working  his  way  through  the  ground, 
or  the  gnawing  teeth  of  the  cockchaffer  grub.  The  grub  he 
unearths  and  devours  without  further  ceremony,  but  he  knows 
that  if  he  is  not  cautious,  the  earth-worm  will  withdraw  itself 
out  of  his  reach.  He  therefore  gives  several  hops  near  the 
worm,  which,  fancying  that  it  hears  its  enemy  the  mole  pur- 
suing it,  comes  to  the  surface,  and  is  instantly  seized  in  triumph 
by  the  crafty  thrush. 

It  clears  the  shells  from  snails  by  beating  them  against  a 
stone,  and  when  it  has  found  a  convenient  place  for  that  pur- 


260  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

pose,  it  invariably  returns  to  it  with  its  prey,  so  that  heaps  of 
broken  snail-shells  may  often  be  found  where  the  thrushes  have 
been  at  work. 

The  eggs  of  the  Thrush  are  five  in  number,  of  a  bluish- 
green  colour,  spotted  with  a  deep  reddish-brown.  Sometimes 
the  spots  are  altogether  absent. 


Merula  (Lat.  a  Blackbird),  the  Blackbird. 

The  BLACKBIRD  is  another  delightful  songster,  whose  jetty 
hue  and  orange-tawny  bill  are  too  well  known  to  need  de- 
scription. It  is  a  very  shy  bird,  and  if  disturbed  in  a  hedge, 
has  a  habit  of  darting  through  it,  and  then  escaping  on  the 
other  side,  uttering  a  sharp  cry  of  alarm.  The  habits  of  this 
bird  are  not  unlike  those  of  the  thrush,  especially  in  its  zeal 
for  unearthing  the  cockchaffer-grubs,  and  possibly  for  eating 
cherries  when  they  are  ripe. 

Its  nest  is  built  usually  at  the  foot  of  a  hedge,  frequently 
in  the  very  centre  of  a  holly  bush,  safe  from  most  enemies,  but 
weasels,  &c. 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  261 

A  beautiful  King  Charles'  dog  of  my  acquaintance  was 
accustomed  to  search  for  thrush's  and  blackbird's  nests,  and 
bite  out  the  bottom  of  them,  so  that  the  eggs  rolled  quietly 
into  his  mouth,  he  having  discovered  that  when  he  tried  to 
take  them  from  the  mouth  of  the  nest,  he  invariably  broke 
them.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a  bluish-green  colour, 
profusely  spotted  with  brown. 


ORPHEUS. — (Gr.  proper  name  of  a  famous  musician.) 


Polyglottus  (Gr.  UoAvf,  many ;  yAwrra,  a  tongue),  the  Mocking-Bird. 

The  MOCKING-BIRD  or  POLYGLOT  THRUSH  is  a  native  of 
most  parts  of  America.  This  wonderful  bird  stands  pre- 
eminent in  powers  of  song.  Not  only  are  its  natural  notes 
bold  and  spirited,  but  it  has  the  faculty  of  imitating  with 
deceptive  fidelity  every  sound  it  hears.  To  its  flexible  organs, 
the  harsh  setting  of  a  saw,  the  song  of  a  nightingale,  the 
creaking  of  a  wheel,  the  whistled  tune  of  a  passer-by,  the  full 
and  mellow  notes  of  the  thrush,  the  barking  of  a  dog,  the 
crowing  of  a  cock,  and  the  savage  scream  of  the  bald  eagle, 
are  each  equally  easy  of  execution,  and  follow  one  another 


262  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

with  such  marvellous  rapidity  that  few  can  believe  that  the 
insignificant  brown  bird  before  them  is  the  sole  author  of 
these  varied  sounds.  The  Virginian  nightingale  and  the 
canary  hear  their  exquisite  modulations  performed  with  such 
superior  execution,  that  the  vanquished  songsters  are  silent 
from  mere  mortification,  while  the  triumphant  Mocking-bird 
only  redoubles  his  efforts.  Wilson,  whose  animated  description 
of  this  bird  has  never  been  surpassed,  says  : — "  His  expanded 
wings  and  tail  glistening  with  white,  and  the  buoyant  gaiety 
of  his  action  arresting  the  eye,  as  his  song  does  most  irre- 
sistibly the  ear,  he  sweeps  round  with  enthusiastic  ecstasy, 
and  mounts  and  descends  as  his  song  swells  or  dies  away. 
He  often  deceives  the  sportsman,  and  sends  him  in  search  of 
birds  that  are  not  perhaps  within  miles  of  him,  but  whose 
notes  he  exactly  imitates  :  even  birds  themselves  are  frequently 
imposed  upon  by  this  admirable  mimic,  and  are  decoyed  by 
the  fancied  calls  of  their  mates,  or  dive  with  precipitation  into 
the  depth  of  thickets  at  the  scream  of  what  they  suppose  to 
be  the  sparrow-hawk." 

While  its  eggs  are  hatching  it  is  an  exceedingly  courageous 
bird,  attacking  without  discrimination  man,  dogs,  or  any  animal 
who  may  approach  too  near  the  nest.  But  the  black  snake 
is  the  special  object  of  its  vengeance.  The  snake,  who  has 
perhaps  just  arrived  at  the  vicinity  of  the  nest,  and  is  con- 
templating a  pleasant  breakfast  on  the  young  or  eggs,  is 
violently  attacked  by  the  enraged  Mocking-bird,  who,  by 
repeated  blows  on  the  head,  generally  destroys  its  enemy,  and 
then  mounting  upon  a  bush,  pours  forth  a  triumphant  song 
of  victory. 

The  nest  is  made  generally  in  a  bush  or  apple-tree,  frequent- 
ly close  to  houses,  as  the  bird  is  protected  by  the  inhabitants. 
The  Mocking-bird  is  often  kept  tame,  in  which  case,  so  far 
from  its  imitative  powers  showing  any  decrease,  the  variety 
of  domestic  sounds  heard  about  the  house,  is  often  very 
perplexing. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Sub-family  c.  Oriolince. 


Galbula  (Lat),  tlie  Golden  Oriole. 

The  genus  Oriolus  has  the  beak  notched  and  rather  bent  at 
the  tip.  The  GOLDEN  ORIOLE  is  only  an  occasional  visitor  to 
this  country,  and  has  never  as  yet  been  seen  in  Scotland.  It 
is  a  very  shy  bird,  frequenting  the  skirts  of  woods,  especially 
copses  that  border  on  larger  woods.  In  the  fruit  season  it 
leaves  the  woods  for  the  orchards,  and  makes  no  small  havoc 
among  the  fruit,  particularly  the  figs,  grapes,-  and  cherries. 

The  riest  is  made  of  wood  and  fine  hay ;  it  is  generally 
placed  on  the  fork  of  a  bough.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number, 
of  a  purplish  white  spotted  with  reddish  marks.  The  length 
of  the  bird  is  rather  more  than  ten  inches. 


THE  SPOTTED  FLYCATCHER. 

The  SPOTTED  FLYCATCHER  may  be  considered  as  the  type  of 

the  entire  family.     It  may  be  constantly  seen  in  gardens  and 

orchards,  going  through  the  evolutions  that  have  given  it  the 

names  of  Flycatcher,  Post-bird,  Beam-bird,  &c.     It  takes  its 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family  III.  .  .  Muscicapidse. — (Gr.  Musca,  a  Fly ;  capio,  I  take.   Fly- 
catcher kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Muscicapince. 


Grisola,  the  Spotted  Flycatcher. 

station  on  some  elevated  spot,  such  as  the  overhanging  bough 
of  a  tree,  a  post,  or  a  rail,  and  from  thence  watches  for  a 
passing  insect,  on  seeing  which,  it  darts  from  its  post,  secures 
the  insect  in  the  air,  and  returns  to  the  same  spot  by  a  short 
circular  flight.  It  is  not  a  timid  bird,  and  will  permit  an 
observer  to  stand  quite  close  to  it  provided  that  he  does  not 
disturb  it.*  It  is  only  a  summer  visitor  to  England,  arriving 
in  May  and  departing  about  the  beginning  of  October.  The 
note  of  this  bird  is  a  weak  chirp,  and  even  that  is  not  often 
heard. 

The  nest  is  built  usually  in  holes  of  trees  or  walls,  or 
sometimes  between  a  branch  of  a  wall-fruit  tree  and  the  wall 
itself.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  spotted  with  reddish 
brown  on  a  grey  ground.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  about 
five  inches. 

*  I  saw  one  of  these  birds  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  flies  in  a  garden  at  Headington. 
It  perched  on  a  balustrade  close  to  a  window  from  which  several  persons  were 
watching  it,  and  continued  its  evolutions  perfectly  undisturbed  by  their  proximity. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family  IV.   ...  Ampelidae. 

Sub-family  a.  .  .  Ampelince. 

AMPELIS. — (Gr.  'A.fiire^.if.) 


Garrulus  (Lat.  chattering),  the  Bohemian  Waxwing. 

The  BOHEMIAN  WAXWING  or  WAXEN  CHATTERER  is  only 
occasionally  seen  in  England  during  severe  frosts,*  at  which 
time  flocks  of  them  sometimes  arrive.  It  is  very  common  in 
Norway  and  Russia,  and  is  plentiful  in  North  America.  The 
name  of  Waxwing  is  given  to  it  from  the  singular  appendages 
to  the  secondary  quill  feathers,  bearing  much  resemblance  to 
a  drop  of  red  sealing-wax  pressed  on  the  wing. 

Berries  of  all  kinds,  especially  those  of  the  dog-rose  and  the 
hawthorn,  form  the  principal  food  of  this  bird,  but  it  is  related 
that  when  in  captivity  it  rejects  scarcely  any  vegetable  sub- 
stance, losing  at  the  same  time  all  its  vivacity  and  social 
habits.  The  note  of  the  Waxwing  is  not  unlike  that  of  the 
thrush,  but  it  is  very  weak  and  more  uncertain  than  the  notes 
of  that  beautiful  songster.  While  singing  it  agitates  the 

*  A  specimen  was  shot  in  Oxford  in  1846. 


266  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

crest  on  its  head,  but  shows  scarcely  any  of  that  swelling  in 
the  throat  so  perceptible  in  the  canary  and  other  singing 
birds. 

The  length  of  the  bird  is  rather  more  than  eight  inches. 


Family  V.  ...  Lamdse. — (Lat.  Lanius,  a  Butcher.     Butcher-bird 

kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  .  Lanince. 

LANIUS.— (Lat.  a  Butcher.) 


Excubitor  (Lat.  a  Sentinel),  the  Great  Grey  Shrike. 

The  SHRIKES  or  BUTCHER  BIRDS  well  deserve  their  name, 
as  they  live  upon  insects  and  small  birds,  which  they  kill  and 
afterwards  transfix  with  a  thorn  preparatory  to  devouring 
them.  They  take  their  prey  much  after  the  same  manner 
as  the  flycatchers,  by  darting  on  it  from  some  place  of  con- 
cealment. 

The  GREAT  GREY  SHRIKE  is  supposed  to  be  only  an  occa- 
sional visitor  to  this  country.  It  feeds  upon  mice,  birds, 
and  other  small  animals.  After  pouncing  upon  its 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  267 

prey,  the  Shrike,  by  a  few  blows  on  the  head  from  its  powerful 
bill  destroys  it.  The  unfortunate  animal  is  then  carried  to 
the  nearest  hedge,  impaled  with  a  thorn,  and  the  Shrike 
devours  it  at  his  leisure.  Large  insects  are  treated  in  the 
same  manner.  The  name  Excubitor  or  Sentinel  is  given  it 
from  its  habit  of  watching  for  birds  of  prey,  and  chattering 
loudly  directly  it  perceives  them ;  thereby  proving  that,  like 
most  other  tyrants,  he  has  a  great  objection  to  suffering  any 
injury  himself.  The  bird  catchers  on  the  Continent  take  ad- 
vantage of  this  peculiarity,  to  assist  them  in  the  capture  of 
the  peregrine  falcon.  The  fowler  places  a  small  net  on  the 
ground,  with  a  pigeon  fastened  to  it  by  way  of  bait.  A 
string  is  attached  to  the  net,  and  brought  within  a  turf  hut 
where  the  fowler  sits.  Close  to  the  hut  a  shrike  is  tied  to 
the  ground,  and  two  pieces  of  turf  are  set  up  as  a  shelter  for 
the  bird  from  the  weather,  and  as  a  refuge  from  the  hawk. 
The  fowler  remains  within  his  hut  busied  with  some  sedentary 
occupation,  knowing  well  that  his  vigilant  watchman  will  not 
fail  to  give  him  notice  of  the  approach  of  a  hawk.  Directly 
a  hawk  appears  in  the  distance,  the  shrike  becomes  agitated ; 
as  it  draws  nearer,  he  begins  to  scream  with  fright ;  and  just 
as  the  hawk  pounces  on  the  pigeon,  he  runs  under  his  turf, 
which  is  the  signal  to  the  fowler  within  the  hut  to  pull  the 
string,  thereby  enclosing  the  hawk  within  the  folds  of  the  net. 
The  nest  is  built  on  trees,  and  contains  about  six  eggs, 
greyish- white,  spotted  with  dark  ash  on  the  larger  end ;  the 
length  of  the  bird  is  from  nine  to  ten  inches. 


THE    RED-BACKED    SHRIKE. 

The  RED-BACKED  SHRIKE  is  much  more  common  than  the 
last-mentioned  bird,  and  may  be  seen  in  and  about  hedges,  in 
the  spring,  when  it  is  occupied  in  building  its  nest.  It  is 
rather  a  noisy  bird,  and  the  nest  is  so  large  as  to  be  easily  dis- 
covered. It  feeds  principally  on  insects,  such  as  bees,  beetles, 
&c.,  which  may  frequently  be  found  impaled  on  thorns.* 

*  The  insect  most  commonly  found  by  myself,  in  this  position,  was  the  Stap 
erythropterus,  but  I  have  also  found  ground  beetles  and  humble  bees  i 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Collurio  (Gr.  KohAvpiuv),  the  Red-backed  Shrike. 

These  impaled  insects  form  a  very  good  indication  as  to  the 
locality  of  the  nests,  and  are  probably  placed  there  for  food  ; 
certainly  not,  as  some  authors  have  stated,  for  the  purpose 
of  decoying  other  birds  to  the  spot  in  order  to  murder  and 
devour  them.  The  nest  and  eggs  much  resemble  those  of  the 
Great  Shrike,  but  are  smaller.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  seven 
inches  and  a  half. 


THE    JAY. 

The  CORVID.E  are  peculiarly  remarkable  for  a  kind  of  pre- 
ternatural air  of  sagacity  with  which  they  set  about  any  self- 
imposed  task,  especially  if  that  task  be  a  mischievous  one. 
The  ravens  and  magpies  are  most  conspicuous  in  these  quali- 
ties. 

The  JAY,  so  well  known  for  the  beautiful  blue  markings  on 
its  wings,  is  rather  a  shy  bird,  preferring  to  reside  in  the 
thickest  woods,  and  seldom  coming  into  the  open  country. 
It  is  easily  tamed  when  young,  and  is  very  amusing  when 
domesticated. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Tribe  IV.  ...  CONIROSTRES.— (Lat.  Cone-shape  beaked.) 
Family  I. ...  Corvidse. — (Lat.  Corvus,  Crow.  Crow  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Garrulince. 

L-S  — (Lat.  talkative.) 


Glandarius  (Lat.  of  the  Acorn),  the  Jay. 

This  bird  possesses,  like  several  others  of  the  same  family, 
considerable  talents  for  mimicry.  It  has  been  known  to  imi- 
tate the  sound  of  a  saw,  the  bleat  of  a  lamb,  or  even  the  neigh- 
ing of  a  horse,  with  the  most  perfect  accuracy.  Nor  do  its  pow- 
ers cease  here,  for  although  its  natural  voice  is  harsh  and  grat- 
ing, yet  it  can  imitate  the  sweet  notes  of  singing  birds,  such  as 
the  Greenfinch,  with  wonderful  fidelity.  It  has  also  frequently 
been  taught  to  articulate  words. 

The  name  of  Glandarius  has  been  given  to  the  Jay,  because 
it  feeds  on  vegetable  productions,  such  as  acorns,  &c.,  more 
than  the  true  Crows.  It  is  also  partial  to  fruits,  especially  ripe 
cherries,  and  is  consequently  persecuted  by  the  gardener.  It  is 
also  said  to  devour  eggs  and  young  birds. 

Its  nest  is  built  about  twenty  feet  from  the  ground,  the  upper 
part  of  a  thick  bush  being  preferred .  The  eggs  are  five  or  six 
in  number,  of  a  yellowish  white,  thickly  speckled  with  brown. 
The  length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  fourteen  inches. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  b.  Corvince. 
NUCIKEAGA. — (Lat.  Nux,  a  mit;  frango,  I  break.) 


Caryocatactes  (Gr.  KapvoKaraKTijc.,  properly,  the  Nuthatch),  the 
Nutcracker  Grow. 

The  NUTCRACKER  CROW,  whose  true  position  in  the  scale 
of  creation  has  so  long  bewildered  naturalists,  is  about  the 
size  of  a  jackdaw,  but  its  form  is  more  slender,  and  the  tail  is 
longer.  It  is  seldom  found  in  this  country,  but  is  very  com- 
mon in  more  northern  districts.  In  its  habits  it  displays  a 
singular  mixture  of  the  woodpecker  and  the  nuthatch,  and 
exhibits  so  few  of  the  well-known  habits  of  the  Crows,  that 
observers  might  well  be  perplexed  where  to  place  it.  It  is 
now  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  connecting  links  between  the 
crows  and  the  woodpeckers.  It  runs  about  the  branches  of 
trees,  using  its  tail  for  a  support,  and  pecks  away  the  bark  in 
order  to  reach  the  insects  beneath,  just  as  the  woodpeckers  do. 
It  also  pecks  open  the  fir-cones,  in  search  of  the  hidden  seed, 
and  breaks  nuts  by  repeated  strokes  of  its  bill,  like  the  nuthatch. 
It  is  usually  seen  in  flocks,  but  is  not  so  wary  as  the  crows.  Its 
eggs  are  laid  at  the  bottom  of  a  hole  in  some  tree.  They  are  of 
a  greyish  yellow  colour,  diversified  with  a  few  dark  grey  spots. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  271 

PICA. — (Lat.  a  Magpie.) 


Caudata  (long-tailed),  the  Magpie. 

The  MAGPIE,  who  seems  to  rival  the  Parrot  in  the  proud 
title  of  the  Monkey  of  the  Birds  (the  Raven  being  the  orni- 
thological Baboon)  is  a  well-known  inhabitant  of  this  country. 
Its  thieving  and  hiding  propensities  have  been  frequently  told ; 
but  I  must  still  venture  to  give  a  few  anecdotes  of  a  tame 
magpie  that  resided  in  Wiltshire.  This  bird  found  a  malicious 
enjoyment  in  pecking  the  unprotected  ankles  of  little  boys  not 
yet  arrived  at  manly  habiliments,  and  was  such  a  terror  to  the 
female  servants  that  they  were  forced  to  pass  his  lurking-place 
armed  with  a  broom.  One  of  the  servants  having  neglected 
this  precaution  was  actually  found  sitting  down  on  the  stones 
to  protect  her  ankles,  the  magpie  triumphantly  pacing  round 
her,  until  aid  was  brought,  and  the  bird  driven  away.  But 
to  little  boys  and  girls  the  magpie  showed  no  mercy,  springing 
out  of  its  hiding-place,  and  chasing  them  completely  along 
the  garden  walk. 

It  had  also  a  great  penchant  for  tearing  and  biting  to  pieces 
any  papers  that  came  in  its  way,  probably  because  it  had 
perceived  that  people  valued  them.  One  Sunday  morning, 


272  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

after  the  family  had  returned  from  church,  the  rector  found 
his  study  strewed  with  pamphlets,  torn  newspapers,  &c.,  so 
that  until  the  delinquent  was  discovered,  he  really  thought 
that  thieves  had  been  in  the  house.  A  magpie  never  seems 
to  be  happy  unless  it  possesses  a  hiding-place,  nor  did  this 
one  form  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  as  it  had  pecked  a 
hole  in  the  thatch  of  a  barn,  wherein  to  dispose  its  ill-gotten 
goods,  and  displayed  great  uneasiness  if  anybody  approached  it. 

Another  magpie  gained  entrance  into  the  chapel  of  Wadham 
College,  Oxford,  and  remained  quiet  enough  until  the  service 
had  begun,  when  it  gravely  walked  up  the  centre,  bowing  and 
saying,  "  Pretty  Mag  !  Pretty  Mag  !"  much  to  the  discomposure 
of  the  junior  members.  A  curious  story  is  told  respecting  the 
power  of  the  Magpie  to  count  numbers. 

"  George  Le  Roy  states  that  a  magpie  having  stolen  some 
game,  it  was  resolved  to  shoot  it.  A  man  hid  himself  in  a 
hut  near  its  nest  for  this  purpose.  The  bird  flew  away  when 
he  entered,  nor  would  return.  The  next  day  two  men  entered 
and  one  came  out.  Mag  was  not  to  be  cheated;  she  waited 
till  the  second  left  also.  Three  went  in  and  two  came  out, 
with  the  same  result.  Four  then  entered,  and  three  came 
away.  The  bird  went  back  and  was  shot. — So  magpies,  says 
George  La  Roy,  can  count  three  but  not  four." 

The  nest  of  the  Magpie  is  built  on  a  high  tree,  and  curiously 
defended  with  thorns,  having  only  a  small  hole  just  large 
enough  to  admit  the  owners,  so  that  the  liberal  use  of  a  pocket 
knife  is  frequently  requisite  in  order  to  obtain  the  eggs.  The 
nest  is  covered  with  a  dome  of  thorns,  respecting  which  a 
curiously  quaint  fable  is  told. 

"  The  birds,"  says  the  historian,  "  not  knowing  how  to  build 
nests,  went  in  a  body  to  request  the  Magpie  to  teach  them.  He 
willingly  undertook  the  office.  '  First,'  he  said,  '  you  must 
look  out  for  a  good,  strong,  forked  branch,  and  begin  by  laying 
two  sticks  crosswise.'  '  That's  just  what  I  did,'  said  the  rook. 
'  Next,  you  must  raise  the  sides  a  little,  and  then  put  in  some 
hay,  which  you  must  work  well  into  the  sticks.' — '  The  very 
thing  I  have  been  doing,'  said  the  crow.  '  Now,  for  fear  the 
eggs  should  be  broken  or  thrown  out,  you  must  raise  the 
sides  about  as  high  as  your  head  when  you  sit  in  the  bottom 
of  the  nest,  and  put  in  some  soft  wool.'  '  Why,'  said  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


273 


thrush,  '  I  did  as  far  as  that  before  I  came  here.'  '  Oh  !  then, 
replied  the  magpie,  '  as  I  see  that  you  all  know  how  to 
make  nests,  there  is  no  occasion  for  me  to  teach  you.'  And 
that  is  the  reason  why  the  other  birds  are  only  able  to  build 
half  nests." 

The  interior  of  the  nest  is  defended  by  a  coating  of  mud, 
worked  smooth.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a  greenish 
white,  covered  with  brown  markings.  The  length  of  the  bird 
is  about  eighteen  inches. 

CORVUS. — (Lat.  a  Crow.) 


Corax  (Gr.  Kopat,  a  Raven),  the  Raven. 

The  RAVEN  is  very  common  on  the  continent,  and  most- 
parts  of  Asia  and  America,  but  is  now  seldom  seen  in  this 
country  except  in  a  domesticated  state.  It  is  more  frequently 
found  in  the  Hebrides  than  in  any  other  part  of  Great  Britain. 
In  those  islands  it  lives  principally  on  carrion  of  various 

M  * 


274  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

kinds,  such  as  dead  sheep  or  lambs,  whose  death  the  Raven  is 
accused  with  some  justice  of  hastening,  and  on  fishes  or  ceta- 
ceous animals  which  have  been  cast  on  shore  by  the  waves. 
In  these  cases  the  Raven  conducts  itself  much  in  the  manner  of 
the  vulture.  It  commences  by  taking  out  the  eye  and  tongue, 
and  then  proceeds  to  tear  open  the  abdomen,  operations  for 
which  its  sharp  and  powerful  bill  seems  quite  as  well  fitted  as 
the  hooked  beak  of  the  rapacious  birds.  It  is  a  very  crafty 
bird,  and  can  with  difficulty  be  approached,  but  by  laying 
a  dead  carcase  near  its  haunts,  and  being  carefully  concealed, 
it  may  be  seen  cautiously  approaching ;  first  perching  on  an 
eminence,  it  looks  carefully  round  ;  then,  advancing  with  a 
sidelong  step,  it  examines  its  expected  prey.  When  fully 
satisfied,  it  pecks  out  the  eyes  and  proceeds  to  satiate  itself 
with  food.  The  Raven  seems  to  fear  no  storms,  and  to  be 
deterred  by  no  inclemency  of  weather  from  seeking  its  prey. 
Although  formerly  so  plentiful  in  England  that  innumerable 
omens  were  drawn  from  its  croaking,  flight,  &c.,  it  has  almost 
become  extinct,  much  to  the  discomfiture  of  omen  seekers. 
No  incantation  and  no  dance  of  witches  seemed  to  be  considered 
complete,  without  a  black  cat,  a  toad  or  two,  a  bat  and  a 
raven.  Certainly  the  extraordinary  gravity  which  marks  the 
demeanour  of  the  Raven  has  something  almost  preternatural 
in  it.  The  manner  in  which  he  sets  about  a  piece  of  mischief, 
as  if  he  considered  it  a  moral  duty,  is  most  absurd,  and  the 
pertinacity  with  which  he  prosecutes  a  great  work,  such  as  the 
feat  of  Charles  Dickens' s  raven,  who  "  new  pointed  the  greater 
part  of  the  garden  wall,  by  digging  out  the  mortar,  and  tore 
up  and  swallowed  in  splinters  the  greater  part  of  a  wooden 
staircase  of  six  steps  and  a  landing,"  is  perfectly  astounding.* 

It  has  a  great  capacity  for  imitating  sounds,  and  can  be 
taught  to  pronounce  whole  sentences,  or  sings  songs  with  won- 
derful accuracy. 

In  the  northern  parts  of  Scotland  it  makes  its  nest  on  high 
rocks,  but  not  ijpfrequently  builds  on  the  summit  of  a  tall 
tree.  The  nest  is  a  large  irregular  structure  of  heath,  grass, 

*  A  raven  in  our  possession  used  to  watch  the  gardener  taking  particular  pains  to, 
prop  up  and  secure  a  valuable  plant.  His  labour  was  always  in  vain,  for  the  raven, 
with  a  sidelong  step  and  an  unconcerned  air,  as  if  he  were  thinking  of  anything  but 
the  plant,  would  sidle  by  it,  when  one  wrench  of  his  iron  bill  laid  the  unfortunate 
plant  on  the  earth,  and  the  raven  moved  off  with  a  most  provoking  air  of  innocence. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 


wool  and  feathers,  and  sea-weed  if  it  builds  near  the  sea-shore. 
It  lays  from  four  to  seven  eggs,  of  a  pale  green  colour,  spotted 
with  greenish  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  two  feet  two 
inches,  and  the  expanse  of  wing  four  feet  eight  inches. 


Frugilggus  (Lat  Corn-gatherer),  the  Rook. 

The  ROOK  inhabits  almost  every  part  of  Europe,  and  is  very 
common  in  England,  where  it  lives  in  a  kind  of  semi-domesti- 
cation, usually  inhabiting  a  grove  of  trees  near  a  house,  or  in 
a  park,  where  it  is  protected  by  the  owner,  although  he  makes 
it  pay  for  this  accommodation  by  shooting  the  young  once  every 
year.  Apparently  in  consequence  of  this  annual  persecution, 
the  Rook  has  an  intense  horror  of  guns,  perceiving  them  at  a 
great  distance.  "While  feeding  in  flocks  in  the  fields,  or 
following  the  ploughman  in  his  course,  and  devouring  the 
worms  and  grubs  turned  up  by  the  share,  the  Rook  has 
always  a  sentinel  planted  in  a  neighbouring  tree,  who  instantly 
gives  the  alarm  at  th«|sight  of  a  gun,  or  of  a  suspicious-looking 
object. 

The  good  which  the  Rook  does  by  devouring  the  grubs  of 


276  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

the  cockchafier,  and  the  tipulas  or  daddy-long-legs,  both  of 
which  are  exceedingly  injurious  to  the  crops,  more  than  com- 
pensates for  the  damage  it  sometimes  causes,  by  pulling  up 
young  corn,  or  newly  set  potato  cuttings ;  in  the  latter  case 
more,  I  believe,  to  get  at  the  wireworms,  which  crowd  to  the 
slices  of  potato,  than  to  eat  the  vegetable  itself.  In  the  fruit 
season,  the  Rook,  like  most  other  birds,  likes  to  have  his 
share  of  the  cherries,  pears,  and  walnuts,  but  may  be  easily 
kept  away  by  the  occasional  sight  of 'a  gun. 

Towards  evening  the  Rooks  may  be  seen  flying  in  long 
lines  to  their  resting-place — "  The  blackening  train  of  crows 
to  their  repose."  They  then  perform  sundry  evolutions  in 
the  air,  and  finally  settle  to  rest. 

Round  the  base  of  the  Rook's  beak  is  a  whitish  looking 
skin,  denuded  of  feathers,  the  reason  or  cause  of  which  is  not 
very  obvious.  A  white  variety  of  the  Rook  is  sometimes 
seen.  The  gamekeeper  at  Ashdown  had  a  very  fine  white 
Rook,  which  he  kept  tame  in  his  garden. 

The  eggs  of  this  bird  are  five  in  number,  similar  to  those  of 
the  raven  in  colour,  but  much  smaller.  The  length  of  the 
bird  is  nineteen  inches. 

The  JACKDAW  is  another  well-known  bird.  It  does  not 
build  in  the  branches  of  trees  like  the  Reck,  to  which  it  is  very 
similar  in  many  respects,  but  prefers  holes  in  decayed  trees 
or  old  buildings,  particularly  frequenting  church  towers  and 
steeples.  The  Jackdaw  feeds  upon  almost  any  substance  that 
it  can  find.  It  kills  mice  with  a  single  blow  of  its  beak,  and 
then  devours  them  piecemeal.  Grasshoppers,  beetles,  &c.  are 
also  killed  by  a  squeeze  across  the  thorax,  and  the  head,  wings, 
and  legs,  are  twisted  off  before  the  bird  begins  to  eat  them. 
It  treats  bees,  wasps,  and  other  stinged  insects  with  much  more 
caution.  The  feathers  upon  the  crown  of  its  head  are  of  a 
greyish  white  colour,  a  peculiarity  instantly  distinguishing 
it  from  the  rook.  It  is  frequently  kept  tame,-  and  is  very 
amusing  in  captivity.*  The  eggs  are  of  a  lighter  colour  than 

*  A  tame  Jackdaw  in  the  possession  of  one  of  my  scholars  used  to  travel  backwards 
and  forwards  from  the  school  to  his  own  home.  When  in  the  train,  his  terror  at  the 
sight  of  the  trees  whizzing  past  him,  was  most  ludicrous.  He  uttered  a  sharp  cry  of 
fear,  twisted  round  in  his  basket,  and  thrust  his  beak  through  the  interstices  on  the 
opposite  side.  After  he  had  recovered  from  his  fright,  he  was  usually  very  talkative. 


NATURAL  HISTORY 


277 


Monedula  (Lat.  a  Jackdaw),  the  Jackdaw. 

those  of  the  rook,  smaller  and  more  sparingly  spotted.     The 
length  is  fourteen  inches. 

The  CROW,  or  CARRION  Crow,  as  it  is  erroneously  called, 
seldom  feeds  on  carrion,  for  poor  indeed  would  be  his  meals 
were  he  dependent  on  dead  sheep  or  horses  for  a  livelihood. 
Possibly  the  name  was  given  as  a  distinction  between  it  and 
the  rook.  Waterton  states  that  the  flesh  of  the  Carrion  Crow 
is  just  as  good  as  that  of  the  rook,  and  relates  how  he  once 
served  up  a  pie  of  these  birds  to  some  friends,  who  thought 
them  pigeons.  It  will  also  eat  cherries  and  walnuts  like  the 
rook,  and  when  the  supply  of  insects  has  failed,  it  will  then  turn 
its  attention  to  the  duck-pond  and  farm-yard,  and  carry  off  a 
young  duckling  or  chicken. 

"  Sometimes  he  approaches  the  farm-house  by  stealth,  in  the 
search  of  young  chickens,  which  he  is  in  the  habit  of  snatching 
off,  when  he  can  elude  the  vigilance  of  the  mother  hen,  who 
often  proves  too  formidable  for  him.  A  few  days  ago,  a  crow 
was  observed  eagerly  attempting  to  seize  some  young  chickens 
in  an  orchard,  near  the  room  where  I  write,  but  these  cluster- 


278  NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Corone  (Gr.  Kopwv??),  the  Crow. 

ing  round  the  hen,  she  resolutely  defended  them,  and  drove  the 
crow  into  an  apple-tree,  whither  she  pursued  him  with  such 
spirit  and  intrepidity,  that  he  was  glad  to  make  a  speedy  re- 
treat and  abandon  his  design."* 

It  also  carries  off  eggs,  by  pouncing  upon  them,  and  driving 
its  bill  through  the  shell.  It  will  be  seen,  from  the  following 
anecdote,  that  mice  and  rats  are  not  unaccustomed  food. 

In  a  field  near  a  gentleman's  house  about  a  mile  from 
Caernarvon  there  are  some  outbuildings  much  infested  with 
rats.  Four  or  five  traps  are  set  on  the  premises  every  night, 
and  it  is  the  business  of  a  servant-man  to  go  to  the  spot 
between  five  and  six  in  the  morning.  He  is  always  punctually 
met  by  a  company  of  crows  that  station  themselves  at  a  little 
distance,  and  most  narrowly  watch  all  his  proceedings.  No 
sooner  does  he  remove  his  captives  from  the  traps  and  throw 
them  into  the  field,  than  the  carnival  begins.  The  crows 
seize  upon  their  booty,  scientifically  perforate  the  integuments, 
and  scoop  out  and  devour  every  particle  of  flesh,  even  in  the 
head.  In  a  very  short  time  the .  skins  are  turned  inside  out, 

*  Waicrton. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  279 

and  a  few  clean  picked  bones  are  the  only  memorials  of  the 
banquet. 

The  nests  of  this  bird  are  placed  on  the  summit  of  some  tall 
tree,  and  contain  about  five  eggs,  closely  resembling  those  of  the 
rook.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  eighteen  inches. 


Sub-family  c.  Pyrrhocoracince. 
CORACIA. — (Gr.  KopaKiaf,  like  a  Raven.) 


Gracula  (Lat.  a  Chough),  the  Chough. 

The  CHOUGH  is  rather  larger  than  the  jackdaw,  and  is 
principally  distinguished  by  the  red  hue  of  its  bill  and  legs. 
It  inhabits  the  counties  of  the  western  coast  of  England,  and 
is,  perhaps,  more  common  in  Cornwall  than  in  any  other  county. 
When  tame,  it  shows  a  very  inquisitive  disposition,  examining 
every  novelty  with  the  greatest  attention. 

It  builds  its  nest  in  the  cavities  of  high  cliffs,  and  lays  four 
or  five  eggs  of  a  yellowish  white  colour,  spotted  with  light  brown. 
The  length  of  the  bird  is  seventeen  inches. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 
Family  II.  Paradiseidae. 

PARADISEA. — (Gr.  Hapddsiaog,  a  pleasure-ground.) 


Apoda  (Gr.  'A-irovf,  without  feet),  the  Emerald  Bird  of  Paradise. 

"Which,  like  a  bird  of  Paradise, 
Or  herald's  martlet,  has  no  legs.1' 

This  most  gorgeous  and  elegant  bird  was  once  the  subject 
of  much  discussion  between  naturalists.  The  natives  of  New 
Guinea  were  accustomed  to  dry  them,  having  first  cut  off  their 
legs,  and  then  to  offer  them  for  sale.  In  this  footless  state  they 
reached  Europe,  where  it  was  immediately  stated  that  the  bird 
lived  always  in  the  air,  buoyed  up  by  the  lightness  of  its  feathery 
covering ;  that  the  shoulders  were  used  as  its  nest ;  that  the 
only  rest  it  took  was  by  suspending  itself  from  a  branch  by  the 
filamentary  feathers  of  the  tail ;  that  its  food  was  the  morning 
dew ;  together  with  many  other  conjectures  not,  less  ingenious 
than  amusing. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  281 

This  bird  appears  about  the  size  of  a  jay.  Its  body,  breast, 
and  lower  parts  are  of  a  deep  rich  brown;  the  front  set  close 
with  black  feathers  shot  with  green ;  the  throat  is  of  a  rich 
golden  green ;  the  head  yellow ;  the  sides  of  the  tail  are 
clothed  with  a  splendid  plume  of  long  downy  feathers  of  a 
soft  yellow  colour.  By  these  are  placed  two  long  filamentous 
shafts,  which  extend  nearly  two  feet  in  length. 

Of  these  beautiful  feathers  the  bird  is  so  proud  that  it  will 
not  suffer  the  least  speck  of  dirt  to  remain  upon  them,  and  it 
is  constantly  examining  its  plumage  to  see  that  there  are  no 
spots  on  it.  When  in  its  wild  state  it  always  flies  and  sits 
with  its  face  to  the  wind,  lest  its  elegant  filmy  plumes  should 
be  disarranged. 

So  far  from  living  exclusively  on  dew,  it  eats  no  small 
amount  of  insects,  such  as  grasshoppers,  which  it  will  not 
touch  if  dead,  and  commences  its  repast  by  stripping  off"  the 
legs  and  wings.  When  in  confinement,  it  also  eats  boiled 
rice,  plantains,  &c.,  but  in  the  wild  state  it  seems  to  feed 
mostly  on  the  seeds  of  the  teak-tree,  and  a  kind  of  fig. 

There  are  several  species  of  Paradise  Birds  known,  but  the 
one  given  in  the  engraving  is  the  most  common,  and  is  the 
one  of  which  the  above-mentioned  fables  were  told. 


THE   SATIN    BOWER-BIRD. 

It  is  a  singular  thing  to  find,  a  bird  building  a  kind  of 
playground,  without  reference  to  its  nest,  but  merely  for 
amusement.  The  BOWER-BIRD  has  this  curious  habit.  It 
builds  a  kind  of  bower  of  thin  twigs,  interwoven  so  as  to 
meet  above,  forming  a  kind  of  tunnel.  The  entrance  of  this 
bower  is  decorated  with  any  brilliant  article  that  the  bird  can 
find,  such  as  shells,  bones,  and  feathers  of  several  parrots, 
some  feathers  being  stuck  in  among  the  twigs,  and  others 
strewn  at  the  entrance.  Mr.  Gould,  who  first  brought  this 
curious  bird  before  the  public,  says,  "  The  propensity  of  these 
birds  to  pick  up  and  fly  off  with  any  attractive  object,  is  so 
well  known  to  the  natives  (of  Australia),  that  they  always 
search  the  runs  for  any  small  missing  article,  as  the  bowl 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family  III.  .  .  Sturnidae.  —  (Lat.  Sturnus,  a  Starling.     Starling  kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  .  Ptilonorhynchince. 


PTOONORHYNCUS.  —  (Gr.  Urihov,  a  feather  ; 


beak.) 


Sericeus  (Lat.  silky),  the  Satin  Bower-Bird. 

of  a  pipe,  &c.  that  may  have  been  accidentally  dropped  in  the 
brush.  I,  myself,  found  at  the  entrance  of  one  of  these 
a  small  neatly  worked  stone  tomahawk,  of  an  inch  and  a  half 
in  length,  together  with  some  slips  of  blue  cotton  rags,  which 
the  birds  had  doubtless  picked  up  at  a  deserted  encampment 
of  the  natives.  For  what  purpose  these  curious  bowers  are 
made,  is  not  yet,  perhaps,  fully  understood  :  they  are  certainly 
not  used  as  a  nest,  but  as  a  place  of  resort  for  many  individuals 
of  both  sexes,  which,  when  there  assembled,  run  through  and 
around  the  bower  in  a  sportive  and  playful  manner,  and  that 
BO  frequently,  that  it  is  seldom  entirely  deserted." 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Sub-family  d.  Icterina. 
ICTERUS. — (Gr.  'I 


Baltim5rus,  the  Baltimore  Oriole. 

The  STARLINGS  comprise  many  genera,  among  which  the 
PENSILE  ORIOLES  of  America  are  the  most  interesting.  These 
birds  build,  or  rather  weave,  a  fabric  not  unlike  loose  cloth, 
composed  of  hemp  or  flax.  This  nest  is  of  the  singular  form 
represented  in  the  engraving,  and  the  entrance  is  at  the  side. 
In  all  probability  this  singular  formation  is  for  the  purpose  of 
keeping  out  the  Black  Snake,  who  is  constantly  on  the  look- 
out for  young  birds.  The  parent  Orioles  often  attack  the 
snake,  and  compel  him  to  retreat. 

The  plumage  of  the  male  when  full  grown  is  very  brilliant. 
The  head,  throat,  and  back  are  black^  the  under  parts  are 
orange,  the  breast  vermilion.  A  band  of  orange  passes  over 
the  shoulders,  and  the  tail  is  orange  and  black.  The  length 


284  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

of  the  bird  is  almost  eight  inches.  This  is  not  the  only  bird 
that  constructs  pensile  nests ;  the  Weaver  Birds  also  form 
these  nests,  but  of  a  different  form.  They  look  like  great 
pistols  hung  up  by  the  butt,  the  entrance  being  at  the  muzzle, 
and  the  nest  in  the  butt. 


Sub-family  g.  Sturnince. 

8TURNUS. 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Starling. 

The  COMMON  STARLING  is  a  bird  well  known  both  for  its 
beauty  and  the  singular  method  of  flight.  When  a  flock  of 
Starlings  begin  to  settle  for  the  night,  they  wheel  round  the 
place  selected  with  great  accuracy.  Suddenly,  as  if  by  word 
of  command,  the  whole  flock  turn  their  sides  to  the  spectator, 
and  with  a  great  whirring  of  wings,  the  whole  front  and  shape 
of  the  flock  is  altered.  No  body  of  soldiers  could  be  better 
wheeled  or  countermarched  than  are  these  flocks  of  Starlings, 
except,  perhaps,  an  unfortunate  few,  who  are  usually  thrown 
out  at  each  change,  and  whom  we  must  charitably  suppose 
recruits. 

The  Starling  lives  principally  among  old  buildings,  and  is 
very  fond  of  gaining  admittance  into  dovecotes,  where  it  is  a 
harmless  visitor,  and  may  be  suffered  to  remain  without  detri- 
ment to  the  pigeons  or  their  eggs.  Its  nest  is  made  usually 
in  a  hole  in  a  wall,  sometimes  in  a  decayed  tree,  and  contains 
five  eggs  of  a  very  delicate  uniformly  pale  blue. 


NATURAL  HISTORY 


Family  IV.  .  Fringillidse. — (Lat.  Fringilla,  a  Finch.     Finch  kind.) 
Sub-family  d.  Fringillince. 


Coelebs  (Lat  Bachelor),  the  Chaffinch. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Finches  ;  a  very  large  and  interesting 
family.  None  of  the  species  are  large,  and  most  of  them  are 
excellent  songsters.  Their  beaks  are  all  conical,  and  fitted 
for  the  destruction  of  corn,  peas,  &c. 

The  CHAFFINCH  or  PIEFINCH,  as  it  is  often  called,  is  so 
well  known  as  to  need  no  description.  It  is  chiefly  re- 
markable for  the  beautiful  nest  which  it  constructs.  The 
forks  of  a  thorn  or  wild  crab-tree  are  favourable  places  for  the 
nest,  which  is  composed  of  mosses,  hair,  wool  and  feathers, 
covered  on  the  exterior  with  lichens  and  mosses,  so  exactly 
resembling  the  bough  on  which  the  nest  is  placed,  that  the 
eye  is  often  deceived  by  its  appearance.  In  the  nest  four  or 
five  very  pretty  eggs  are  laid  :  these  are  of  a  reddish-brown 
colour,  sparely  marked  with  deep  brown  spots,  especially 
towards  the  larger  end. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Carduelis  (Lat  a  Linnet),  the  Goldfinch. 

The  GOLDFINCH  or  THISTLEFINCH,  so  called  on  account  of 
its  fondness  for  the  down  of  the  thistle,  is  one  of  our  most 
beautiful  birds.  Where  thistles  abound,  small  flocks  of  gold- 
finches may  be  seen  flying  from  hedge  to  hedge,  and  occa- 
sionally pecking  the  white  tops  of  the  thistles.  The  tufted 
seed  of  the  dandelion,  groundsel,  and  other  plants  is  also  eaten 
by  the  Goldfinch. 

In  captivity  it  is  very  tame,  and  can  be  trained  to  per- 
form a  multitude  of  tricks,  the  most  common  of  which  are, 
drawing  its  own  food  and  water  with  a  chain  and  bucket, 
or  firing  a  gun  when  commanded.  The  nest  is  very  beau- 
tiful, being  mostly  made  of  wool  and  down  from  various 
plants,  and  is  usually  placed  on  the  extremity  of  a  spray. 
The  eggs  are  small,  of  a  whitish  tint,  spotted  with  orange 
brown. 

The  COMMON  LINNET  frequents  commons  and  neglected 
pastures.  Its  song  is  very  sweet,  and  many  bird-fanciers  sup- 
pose that  the  mixed  breed  of  a  canary  and  a  linnet  has  a  sweeter 
song  than  either  bird. 

Its  nest  ia  usually  built  in  the  centre  of  a  large  and  dense 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


287 


Cannabina  (Lat.  fond  of  hemp),  the  Linnet. 

bush.      The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  greyish-white  speckled 
with  red. 


Spinus  (Lat.  a  Sloe-tree),  the  Siskin. 

The  SISKIN  is  hardly  to  be  considered  more  than  an  occa- 
sional visitor  in  England,  but  in  Scotland  it  sometimes  breeds, 
as  may  be  seen  from  the  following  extract : 


288  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

"  The  Siskin  is  a  common  bird  in  all  the  high  parts  of 
Aberdeenshire,  which  abound  in  fir-woods.  They  build 
generally  near  the  extremities  of  the  branches  of  tall  fir-trees, 
or  near  the  summit  of  the  tree.  Sometimes  the  nest  is  found 
in  plantations  of  young  fir- wood.  In  one  instance  I  met  with 
a  nest  not  three  feet  from  the  ground.  I  visited  it  every  day 
until  four  or  five  eggs  were  deposited.  During  incubation  the 
female  showed  no  fear  at  my  approach.  On  bringing  my  hand 
close  to  the  nest,  she  showed  some  inclination  to  pugnacity, 
tried  to  frighten  me  away  with  her  open  bill,  following  my 
hand  round  and  round  when  I  attempted  to  touch  her. 
At  last  she  would  only  look  anxiously  round  to  my  finger, 
without  making  any  attack  on  me.  The  nest  was  formed  of 
small  twigs  of  birch  or  heath  outside,  and  neatly  lined  with 
hair." 

Its  eggs  are  a  bluish-white  spotted  with  purplish-red. 


Chloris  (Gr.  X/lwpof,  green),  the  Greenfinch. 

The  GREENFINCH  or  GREEN  LINNET  is  larger  that  the  Com- 
mon Linnet.  It  frequents  gardens,  shrubberies  and  cultivated 
lands,  and  feeds  on  insects  or  seeds.  The  notes  of  this  bird  are 
not  peculiarly ''melodious,  nor  has  it  many  qualifications  to 
entitle  it  to  notice. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


PASSER. — (Lat.  a  Sparrow.) 


Domesticus  (Lat.  domestic),  the  House  Sparrow. 

The  courageous,  impudent,  quarrelsome  SPARROW  is  so 
well  known  as  to  need  no  description.  "When  pressed  by  cold 
in  the  winter,  there  are  few  who  have  not  seen  this  little 
bird  come  to  the  window,  expecting  his  donation  of  crumbs. 
It  is  very  fond  of  grain  of  various  kinds,  and  does  some 
damage  to  the  former,  but  the  destruction  of  caterpillars  by 
the  bird  more  than  compensates  for  the  loss  of  the  grain. 
The  little  impertinent  bird  has  no  scruple  in  perching  on  the 
pig's  trough,  and  partaking  of  his  dinner,  or  in  mixing  with 
fowl  and  taking  its  share  of  their  provisions,  and  on  a  newly 
thatched  house  it  absolutely  revels.  Dozens  of  sparrows  may 
be  seen  pecking  and  pulling  at  the  straws  in  high  enjoyment. 
I  was  once  watching  a  flock  of  sparrows  on  a  newly  thatched 
barn,  hopping,  pecking  and  scrambling  in  perfect  happiness, 
when  suddenly  a  sharp  twitter  was  heard,  and  the  whole  body 
hastily  adjourned  to  a  tree  close  by,  making  a  prodigious 
chattering.  Presently  I  saw  appear,  over  the  ridge  of  the 
house,  the  head  of  a  cat,  who  had  walked  up  the  thatcher's 
N 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


ladder,  hoping  to  secure  a  few  sparrows  in  the  midst  of 
their  meal.  The  nest  of  the  House  Sparrow  is  usually  built 
in  holes  of  roofs.  The  eggs  are  speckled  black  and  white,  arid 
very  variable. 


Sub-family  e.  Emberizince. 

EMBERIZA. 


«  I 


Citrinella  (Lai  yellowish),  the  Yellow  Bunting. 

The  YELLOW  HAMMER  or  YELLOW  BUNTING  is  a  very  deli- 
cately marked  little  bird,  very  common  in  our  hedges,  where 
it  flits  before  the  traveller,  always  keeping  about  twenty  yards 
in  front.  It  makes  its  nest  on  the  ground,  and  lays  five  eggs 
curiously  scribbled  over  with  dark  chocolate  lines,  just  as  if  a 
child  had  been  trying  to  write  Arabic  on  the  eggs. 

The  ORTOLAN,  a  little  bird  in  very  great  repute  for  the  table, 
is  also  an  Emberiza.  This  bird  is  regularly  fed  like  poultry, 
in  the  South  of  Europe,  and  soon  becomes  exceedingly  fat, 
when  a  guinea  is  frequently  the  price  of  it. 


THE    SKYLARK. 

The  LARKS  are  known  by  their  very  long  hind  toe.  The 
Skylark,  which  pours  forth  its  animated  song  while  suspended 
high  in  the  air,  is  an  inhabitant  of  most  parts  of  Europe,  Asia, 
and  North  Africa,  but  is  not  found  in  America.  A  very  inte- 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Sub-family  f.  .  .  Alaudince. 
ALAUDA. — (Lat.  a  Jl/ark.) 


Arvensis  (Lat.  belonging  to  the  fields),  the  Skylark. 

resting  story  is  told  of  a  Skylark  that  was  taken  out  to  America 
by  a  poor  emigrant,  and  which  tised  to  collect  crowds  of 
delighted  listeners  round  its  cage.  An  English  settler  who 
happened  to  be  passing  by  while  the  bird  was  singing,  was 
so  affected  by  the  reminiscences  which  its  song  called  up,  that 
he  offered  his  horse  and  cart  for  the  bird,  on  the  spot.  The 
owner,  however,  would  take  no  price  for  it,  although  most 
extravagant  offers  were  made,  and  kept  it  till  his  death.  The 
bird  afterwards  passed  into  other  hands,  but  refused  to  sing 
until  its  cage  was  hung  up  in  the  open  air.  After  its  death, 
its  skin  was  sent  back  to  its  native  land,  and  is  now  stuffed, 
seated  in  its  old  cage,  with  a  suitable  inscription  attached. 

The  nest  is  made  on  the  ground,  frequently  in  the  print  of 
a  horse's  foot,  and  contains  five  eggs  of  a  greenish-white, 
thickly  spotted  with  brown.  There  are  generally  two  broods 
in  the  year,  one  in  May,  and  the  other  in  July  or  August. 
Immense  numbers  of  these  birds  are  caught  annually  and 
sent  to  the  London  markets.  Dunstable  is  the  most  cele- 
brated place  for  them.  It  does  not  at  all  agree  with  the  sense 
of  justice,  that  these  beautiful  birds,  who  charm  us  with  their 
voices,  should  be  killed  to  increase  the  pleasures  of  the  table. 


292  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  WOODLARK  is  another  of  our  British  Larks,  but  differs 
in  some  respects  from  the  skylark.  It  is  smaller,  and  can 
perch  on  trees,  a  power  denied  to  the  skylark.  It  also  sings 
on  the  wing,  but  sometimes  prefers  to  pour  forth  its  notes 
while  perched  on  the  branch  of  a  tree. 

Its  nest,  like  that  of  the  skylark,  is  also  placed  on  the 
ground  ;  the  eggs  are  darker  than  those  of  the  skylark. 


Sub-family  g.  PyrrJiulince. 

. (Gr. 


Rubicilla  (Lat  reddish),  the  Bullfinch. 

The  BULLFINCH  is  a  singular  instance  of  the  power  of  art 
on  the  song  of  birds.  The  natural  note  of  the  Bullfinch  is 
low,  and  can  only  be  heard  at  a  short  distance,  but  when 
well  trained  the  bird  whistles,  or  "  pipes,"  as  it  is  called,  any 
melody  which  has  been  taught  it,  in  a  fine  flute-like  tone. 
A  good  piping  Bullfinch  sells  at  a  very  high  price.  The 
method  of  teaching,  is  to  confine  the  birds  in  a  dark  room, 
and  before  their  food  is  given  to  play  the  air  that  they  have  to 
learn,  on  an  instrument  called  a  bird-organ.  The  birds  soon 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  293 

begin  to  imitate  the  notes,  and  by  degrees  the  whole  tune  is 
learned.  Some  trainers  substitute  a  small  clarionet  for  the 
bird-organ. 

When  in  captivity  the  Bullfinch  is  very  sociable,  and  soon 
learns  to  know  his  owners,  and  to  come  to  them  if  called. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  made  in  thick  bushes,  or  fir-trees. 
The  eggs  are  of  a  pale  greenish  white,  spotted  with  orange 
brown.  The  name  of  Bullfinch  is  given  to  it,  on  account  of 
the  large  proportionate  size  of  its  head  and  neck.  When  in 
captivity  its  plumage  sometimes  turns  black,  the  result  of 
feeding  it  too  profusely  with  hempseed. 


Sub-family  h.    Loxince. 
LOXIA. — (Gr.  Aofof,  crosswise.) 


Curvirostra  (Lat.  Curved-bill),  the  Cross-bill. 

The  genus  LOXIA  is  instantly  known  by  the  crossed  points 
of  the  beak,  and  the  horny  scoop  at  the  tip  of  the  tongue. 
The  Crossbill  uses  these  tools  to  open  the  fir-cones,  on  the 
seeds  of  which  it  feeds.  The  bird  inserts  both  its  mandibles 
under  the  scales  of  the  cone,  then  by  separating  them  the 
scale  is  raised  up,  while  the  seed  is  scooped  out  by  the  horny 


294  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

tip  of  the  tongue.  This  singular  structure  of  the  beak  enables 
the  bird  to  divide  an  apple  in  halves,  so  as  to  get  at  the  pips. 
Although  the  crossed  mandibles  appear  rather  a  barrier  to 
picking  up  small  objects,  yet  the  Crossbill  can  pick  up  and 
husk  the  smallest  seeds,  or  shell  almonds,  which  latter  ieat  is 
accomplished  by  picking  a  hole  in  it  and  then  wrenching  it 
open,  just  as  an  idle  schoolboy  opens  a  nut  with  his  penknife 
when  he  ought  to  be  using  that  instrument  in  the  more 
legitimate  operation  of  mending  his  pen.  Mr.  Yarrell  gives 
an  amusing  account  of  a  pair  of  Crossbills,  who  amused  them- 
selves by  twisting  out  the  wires  of  their  cage.  They  actually 
succeeded  in  pulling  out  a  flat-headed  nail  used  to  confine  the 
network,  but  the  bird  lost  the  point  of  his  bill  in  his  efforts. 
They  were  at  last  banished  on  account  of  their  unceasing 
destruction  of  cages. 

The  nest  is  built  on  the  branches  of  a  fir-tree.  The  eggs 
are  bluish  white  spotted  with  red.  In  taking  leave  of  the 
finches,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  Canary  belongs  to  that 
family,  but  has  not  been  described,  as  being  essentially  a  cage 
bird,  and  perfectly  familiar  to  every  one. 

A  lady  opening  her  window,  saw  a  bullfinch  sitting  on  the 
sill.  To  her  surprise  the  bird  did  not  fly  away,  but  suffered 
itself  to  be  taken  and  carried  into  the  room.  When  placed 
on  the  table  it  still  sat  quiet,  but  looked  as  if  it  were  suffering 
from  illness.  On  examination,  a  seed  was  found  to  be  fixed 
in  the  bird's  throat.  This  was  quickly  removed  with  a  needle, 
and  the  bird  became  quite  lively.  It  however  soon  met 
with  a  tragical  end,  for  while  a  cage  was  being  prepared  for 
its  reception,  it  escaped  from  the  hands  of  its  benefactress, 
flew  against  a  window  pane,  and  instantly  fell  dead  on  the 
floor* 


THE  RHINOCEROS  HORNBILL. 

This  singular  and  almost  startling  family  comprises  but 
few  species,  which  are  all  natives  of  India  and  Africa.  The 
enormous  bill,  with  its  incomprehensible  appendage,  although 
of  course  heavy,  is  really  much  lighter  than  it  looks,  being 
composed  of  a  kind  of  light  honeycombed  structure.  The 

*  This  anecdote  was  related  to  me  by  an  eye-witness  of  the  scene. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family  VII.  Bucerotidae. 
BUCEROS. — (Bowcepwf,  ox-horned.) 


Rhinoceros,  the  Rhinoceros  Hornbill. 

upper  protuberance  is  hollow,  and  the  only  conjecture  formed 
of  its  use,  is  that  it  serves  as  a  sounding  board  to  increase  the 
reverberations  of  the  air,  while  the  bird  is  uttering  its  peculiar 
roaring  cry. 

In  spite  of  the  apparently  unwieldy  bill  the  bird  is  very  active, 
and  hops  about  the  branches  of  trees  with  much  ease.  The 
appendage  to  the  upper  mandible  is  small  when  the  bird  is 
young,  and  only  attains  its  enormous  size  when  the  HORNBILL 
has  reached  its  full  growth.  The  bill  of  the  hoopoes  presents 
a  somewhat  analogous  peculiarity,  as  when  the  bird  is  young 
the  bill  is  short  and  pointed,  and  increases  with  the  size  of  the 
bird.  From  this  circumstance,  together  with  some  other  resem- 


296 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


blances,  some  imagine  that  there  is  an  affinity  between  the 
hornbills  and  hoopoes. 

The  Hornbills  seem  to  be  omnivorous,  fruits,  eggs,  birds, 
reptiles  &c.,  forming  their  food.  The  African  Hornbills  are 
extremely  fond  of  nutmegs,  and  are  on  that  account  said  to  be 
peculiarly  delicate  eating,  though  reminding  one  of  the  Barme- 
cide's memorable  lamb  fed  on  pistachio  nuts. 

The  Rhinoceros  Hornbill  is  a  native  of  India,  and  the  Indian 
islands.  The  length  of  its  bill  is  usually  about  ten  inches. 

Order  III. . . .  SCA  NSdfiES.— (Lat.  scando,  I  climb.  Climbing  birds.) 

Family  I Ramphastida. 

Sub-family  a.  Ramphastidinas. 

RAMPHASTOS. — (Gr.  Ta/^T/cmfr,  properly,  a  Pike.) 


Toco,  the  Toco  Toucan. 

The    SCANSORES,    or    CLIMBING    BIRDS,    now    engage    our 
attention.       According   to   Mr.    Gray,   under    this    order    are 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  297 

placed  the  Toucans,  the  Parrots,  the  Woodpeckers,  and  the 
Cuckoos.  The  feet  of  these  birds  have  two  toes  in  front  and 
two  behind. 

The  TOUCANS  are  all  natives  of  tropical  America.  Their 
enormous  bill  is  rendered  light  in  the  same  way  as  that  of 
the  hornbills,  by  being  chiefly  composed  of  a  honeycomb 
structure.  It  seems  to  be  very  sensitive,  and  well  supplied 
with  nerves,  as  the  bird  not  only  appears  to  enjoy  holding 
meat  or  fruits  with  the  tip  of  its  bill,  but  has  been  seen  to 
scratch  that  organ  with  its  foot,  plainly  proving  that  there 
must  be  sensation.  It  seems  to  be  omnivorous,  but  is  par- 
ticularly fond  of  mice,  and  small  birds,  which  it  kills  by  a 
powerful  squeeze,  then  strips  and  finally  pulls  to  pieces  and 
devours,  having  previously  reduced  it  to  a  shapeless  mass  by 
repeated  lateral  wrenches  with  its  enormous  and  saw-like 
bill.  Waterton  in  his  Wanderings  describes  the  usual  haunts 
of  the  Toucan. 

"  Heedless  and  bankrupt  in  all  curiosity  must  he  be  who 
can  journey  on  without  stopping  to  take  a  view  of  the 
towering  mora.  Its  topmost  branch,  when  naked  with  age  or 
dead  by  accident,  is  the  favourite  resort  of  the  toucan.  Many 
a  time  has  this  singular  bird  felt  the  shot  faintly  strike  him 
from  the  gun  of  the  fowler  beneath,  and  owed  his  life  to  the 
distance  betwixt  them."  In  the  same  interesting  and  amusing 
work,  he  remarks  a  strange  habit  of  the  Toucan,  called  the 
Houtou  by  the  natives. 

"  This  bird  (the  Houtou)  seems  to  suppose  that  its  beauty 
can  be  increased  by  trimming  the  tail,  which  undergoes  the 
same  operation  as  our  hair  in  a  barber's  shop,  only  with  this 
difference,  that  it  uses  its  own  beak,  which  is  serrated,  in  lieu 
of  a  pair  of  scissors.  As  soon  as  his  tail  is  full  grown  he  begins 
about  an  inch  from  the  extremity  of  the  two  longest  feathers 
in  it,  and  cuts  away  the  web  on  both  sides  of  the  shaft, 
making  a  gap  about  an  inch  long :  both  male  and  female 
adorn  their  tails  in  this  manner,  which  gives  them  a  re- 
markable appearance  amongst  all  other  birds." 

When  sleeping,  the  Toucan  takes  great  care  of  his  bill, 
packing  it  away  and  covering  it  carefully  with  the  feathers  of 
its  back,  and  altogether  presents  the  appearance  of  a  large 
round  ball  of  feathers.  The  body  is  about  eighteen  inches 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


in  length.  These  birds,  together  with  the  hoopoes  and 
hornbills,  have  a  habit  of  throwing  their  food  down  their 
throats  with  a  peculiar  jerk  of  the  bifl. 


Family  II.  Psittacid®. 
MACROCERCUS. — (Gr.  Ma.vpor,  great ;  /cep/cof,  tail.) 


Ararauna,  the  Blue  and  Yellow  Macaw. 

Many  naturalists  imagine,  and  with  some  reason,  that  the 
Psittacidse  ought  to  be  formed  into  an  order  by  themselves. 
In  this  family  the  construction  of  the  bill  is  very  remarkable. 
As  the  curved  tip  of  the  bill  would  prevent  the  bird  from 
opening  it  wide  enough  to  admit  its  food,  the  upper  mandible 
is  united  to  the  skull  by  a  kind  of  hinge  joint,  of  equal 
strength  and  flexibility.  When  climbing  among  the  branches 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  299 

of  trees  or  about  their  cages,  the  Parrots  invariably  make  great 
use  of  their  hooked  bills  in  assisting  themselves  both  in  ascending 
and  descending.  The  crossbills  have  been  observed  to  climb 
much  in  the  same  way. 

The  Parrots  are  said  to  be  very  long  lived,  some  have 
certainly  been  known  to  live  upwards  of  eighty  years  in 
captivity,  and  may  be  imagined  to  exceed  that  period  in  a  wild 
state. 

The  MACAWS  are  natives  of  South  America.  The  blue  and 
yellow  Macaw  inhabits  Brazil,  Guiana  anJ  Surinam,  living 
principally  on  the  banks  of  rivers.  Of  one  01  the  Macaws,  the 
Carolina  Parrot,  or  Parrakeet  as  Wilson  calls  it,  the  following 
anecdote  is  told  by  that  enterprising  naturalist : — 

"  Having  shot  down  a  number,  some  of  which  were  only 
wounded,  the  whole  flock  swept  repeatedly  round  their 
prostrate  companions,  and  again  settled  on  a  low  tree,  within 
twenty  yards  of  the  spot  where  I  stood.  At  each  successive 
discharge,  though  showers  of  them  fell,  yet  the  affection 
of  the  survivors  seemed  rather  to  increase,  for  after  a  few 
circuits  round  the  place  they  again  alighted  hear  me,  looking 
down  on  their  slaughtered  companions  with  such  manifest 
smyptoms  of  sympathy  and  concern,  as  entirely  disarmed 
me." 

Wilson  also  makes  mention  of  a  singular  idea,  that  the  brains 
and  intestines  of  the  Carolina  Parrot  (which  lives  on  cockle- 
burs)  are  poisonous  to  cats.  Why  the  brains  should  be  so  is 
rather  incomprehensible,  although  we  can  easily  understand 
that  the  Parrot  might  take  some  substance  into  its  stomach 
injurious  to  cats.  Wilson  tried  the  experiment  after  being 
repeatedly  disappointed  of  a  patient,  but  comes  to  no  conclusion 
on  the  subject. 

"  Having  shut  up  a  cat  and  her  two  kittens,  the  latter  only 
a  few  days  old,  in  a  room  with  the  head,  neck,  and  whole  intes- 
tines of  the  parrakeet,  I  found  on  the  next  morning  the  whole 
eaten  except  a  small  part  of  the  bill.  The  cat  exhibited  no 
symptom  of  sickness,  and  at  this  moment,  three  days  after  the 
experiment  had  been  made,  she  and  her  kittens  are  in  their 
usual  health.  Still  however  the  effect  might  have  been  different, 
had  the  daily  food  of  the  bird  been  cockle-burs  instead  of  Indian 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


PAL^ORNIS. — (Gr.  Ilahaiog,  old;  op^C,  a  bird.) 


Torquatus  (Lat.  collared),  the  Hinged  Parrakeet. 

The  RINGED  PARRAKEET  is  frequently  seen  domesticated  in 
this  country,  where  its  pleasing  manners  and  gentle  disposition 
render  it  a  great  favourite.  It  seems  to  be  exceedingly  fond  of 
ripe  walnuts,  divided  in  halves,  and  while  it  is  picking  out  the 
kernel  continually  utters  a  short  clucking  sound  indicative  of 
pleasure. 

It  soon  learns  to  repeat  words  and  short  sentences,  and  to 
speak  with  tolerable  distinctness.  Sometimes  when  excited  it 
utters  most  ear-piercing  screams,*  and  always  appears  to  prac- 
tise any  new  accomplishment  when  it  thinks  that  no  one  is 
within  hearing.  The  colour  of  the  bird  is  green,  and  a  rose 
coloured  band  round  its  neck  gives  it  the  name  of  the  Rose- 
ringed  Parrakeet.  The  bill  is  red. 

*  A  Ringed  Parrakeet  belonging  to  one  of  my  scholars  was  accustomed  to  live  in 
the  schoolroom.  At  first  it  used  to  become  angry  that  it  was  not  noticed  during 
school  hours,  and  to  utter  a  succession  of  screams,  but  after  being  shut  up  in  a  dark 
closet  several  times,  it  learned  to  behave  very  demurely,  giving  an  example  worthy 
of  imitation  to  several  of  its  human  playfellows. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  301 


f-ACATVA. 


Snlphurea  (Lat  Sulphury),  the  Great  Sulphur  Cockatoo. 

The  COCKATOOS  are  remarkable  for  the  powdery  surface  of 
their  wings,  and  the  crest  on  the  head,  which  can  be  raised  or 
depressed  at  pleasure.  The  Sulphur-crested  Cockatoo  is  an 
inhabitant  of  New  Guinea.  Its  colour  is  white,  and  the  crest 
is  of  a  sulphur  yellow.  Its  white  plumage  glancing  among 
the  dense  dark  foliage  of  its  native  forests,  imparts  a  wonder- 
ful beauty  to  the  scene,  and  as  Sir  Thomas  Mitchell  remarks, 
"  amidst  the  umbrageous  foliage,  forming  dense  masses  of 
shade,  the  white  cockatoos  sported  like  spirits  of  light."  This 
Cockatoo  is  easily  tamed,  and  is  of  a  very  affectionate  dispo- 
sition. When  in  captivity  it  has  been  known  to  live  to  the 
age  of  120  years.  Its  nest  is  built  in  hollow  trees  and  the 
crevices  of  rocks.  The  eggs  are  white.  The  length  of  the 
bird  is  about  eighteen  inches. 


302  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Family  III.  .  Picidse.— (Lat.  Pints,  a  Woodpecker.  Woodpecker  kind.) 
Sub-family  c.  Picince. 


Major  (Lat.  greater),  the  Great  Spotted  Woodpecker. 

The  WOODPECKERS,  whose  name  indicates  their  habits,  are 
widely  spread,  being  found  in  all  quarters  of  the  globe  except 
Australia.  They  subsist  on  insects  and  grubs,  which  they  dig 
out  of  trees,  or  discover  under  the  bark.  For  this  purpose 
their  whole  structure  is  admirably  adapted.  The  bill  is  long, 
sharp,  and  powerful,  and  the  formation  of  the  feet  and  legs  is 
such  that  the  bird  is  able  to  grasp  the  tree  firmly  with  the 
feet,  while  swinging  with  the  force  of  his  whole  body  against 
it.  Another  most  singular  point  in  the  Woodpeckers  is 
the  method  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  thrust  the  tongue 
deep  into  the  crevices,  and  bring  out  any  insects  that  may 
happen  to  be  there.  The  tongue  is  connected  with  two 
elastic  ligaments  which  are  inserted  near  the  juncture  of  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  3C3 

upper  mandible  with  the  skull.  From  thence  they  sweep 
round  the  back  of  the  head,  and  passing '  under  the  lower 
mandible,  enable  the  tongue  to  be  thrust  out  a  considerable  dis- 
tance. The  tip  of  the  tongue  is  sharp,  and  barbed  with  several 
filaments,  and  more  firmly  to  secure  the  prey,  a  kind  of  gummy 
secretion  causes  those  insects  to  adhere,  that  would  be  too 
small  to  be  impaled. 

It  appears  to  be  an  erroneous  opinion  that  these  birds  in- 
jure trees.  Their  only  object  in  pecking  away  the  wood  and 
bark,  is  to  get  at  the  insects  which  they  know  are  hidden 
within.  Now  insects  seldom  or  never  bore  into  healthy  wood, 
but  a  decayed  branch  or  stump  is  always  full  of  them,  as  is 
well  known  to  the  entomologist.  So  the  winged  entomologist, 
when  he  perceives  a  decayed  branch,  or  finds  an  unsound'spot  in 
the  trunk,  immediately  sets  to  work  industriously,  and  is  re- 
warded by  finding  plenty  of  insects,  which  he  draws  out  and 
demolishes,  with  more  benefit  to  himself  and  possibly  more 
good  to  others  than  many  human  entomologists  can  boast. 

Although  the  Woodpecker  does  not  scoop  away  sound  trees, 
yet  it  is  because  it  has  no  motive  for  doing  so — not  that  the 
power  is  wanting.  Wilson  had  an  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  in 
his  possession,  which  pecked  away  lath  and  plaster  in  its 
efforts  to  escape,  and  utterly  ruined  a  mahogany  table  to  which 
it  was  fastened. 

The  GREAT  SPOTTED  WOODPECKER  is  an  inhabitant  of  Eng- 
land, but  is  seldom  seen.  Large  woods  are  its  favourite  haunts. 
Like  all  its  tribe,  it  feeds  on  the  insects  which  it  procures  from 
decayed  trees,  and  also  on  berries  and  fruits.  Its  eggs  are  laid 
in  a  deep  hole  excavated  in  a  tree.  For  this  purpose  the 
Woodpecker  usually  chooses  a  place  where  a  branch  has  broken 
off,  or  more  commonly  the  part  of  the  trunk  where  a  certain 
fungus  has  grown,  causing  the  tree  to  decay  in  that  spot,  al- 
though apparently  healthy. 


SKULL  OK  THE  WOODPECKER. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Viridis  (Lat.  green),  the  Green  Woodpecker. 

The  GREEN  WOODPECKER  is  by  far  the  most  common  in 
this  country,  and  may  be  often  seen  in  woods,*  tapping  the 
trees  with  wonderful  rapidity,  the  blows  following  each  other 
something  like  the  sound  of  a  watchman's  rattle.  It  generally 
runs  up  the  trunk  of  the  tree  in  a  spiral  direction,  occasionally 
striking  off  large  pieces  of  dry  bark.  When  it  descends  it  still 
keeps  its  head  uppermost. 


THE    WRYNECK. 


The  WRYNECK  is  tolerably  common  in  the  southern  counties 
of  England,  but  is  scarcely  ever  seen  in  the  north  and  west. 
It  principally  feeds  on  ants,  which  it  picks  up  with  great 


I  have  more  than  once  seen  the  Green  Woodpecker  busily  employed  among  the 

very  frequently  in  Bagley  Wood. 
have  never  seen  it  on  the  ground,  and  but  once  on  the 


trees  of  the  Christ  Church  Walks,  Oxford,  and  ve 


frequently  in  Bagley  Wood.     I 
aller  branches  of  the  tr 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  305 

Sub-family  g.     Yuncince. 
Yrox.— (Gr.  Iwyf.) 


Torquilla  (Lat.  twisting),  the  Wryneck. 

rapidity  by  means  of  its  long  tongue,  covered  with  a  glutinous 
secretion  like  that  of  the  woodpecker.  The  rapidity  with 
which  the  ants  are  taken  is  so  great,  that  "  an  ant's  egg, 
which  is  of  a  light  colour,  and  more  conspicuous  than  the 
tongue,  has  somewhat  the  appearance  of  moving  to  the  mouth 
by  attraction,  as  a  needle  does  to  the  magnet."  The  name 
Wryneck  is  given  it  from  its  habit  of  rapidly  twisting  its  head 
and  neck,  and  hissing  like  a  serpent,  if  disturbed  upon  its  eggs. 
The  young  also  hiss  if  they  are  molested. 

Its  eggs  are  laid  on  the  bare  wood  in  the  holes  of  trees. 
Like  most  eggs  that  are  laid  in  holes,  they  are  of  a  pure  white. 
The  length  of  the  bird  is  seven  inches. 


THE    CUCKOO. 

The  CUCKOO,  spring's  harbinger,  has,  at  all  ages,  obtained 
for  itself  a  name  at  once  pleasing  and  disreputable  ;  pleasing, 
because  its  well-known  notes  are  a  sign  that  the  cold  winter 
is  gone  ;  and  disreputable,  because  it  usurps  the  nests  of  other 


06  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family  IV  .  .  Cuculidse. — (Lat.  Cuculus,  a  Cuckoo.    Cuckoo  kind.) 
Sub-family  e.   Cuculince. 

CUCtTLUS. 


Canorns  (Lat  musical),  the  Cuckoo. 

birds,  of  which  the  Hedge  Sparrow  is  the  usual  victim.  In 
its  nest  the  cuckoo  deposits  one  of  its  own  eggs,  which  are 
remarkably  small  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird.  The 
unsuspecting  hedge  sparrow  hatches  the  intruder  together 
with  her  own  young.  The  Cuckoo  rapidly  increases  in  size, 
and  monopolizes  no  small  portion  of  the  entire  nest,  besides 
taking  the  lion's  share  of  the  provisions.  The  mother,  how- 
ever, never  seems  to  perceive  the  difference,  but  feeds  and 
tends  the  interloper  with  quite  as  much  care  as  her  own 
young.* 

The    Cuckoo   feeds   principally   on   the   hairy  caterpillars, 

*  Dr.  Jenner  states  that  the  young  Cuckoo  ejects  the  former  and  rightful  occupants 
of  the  nest  by  managing  to  get  the  egg  or  young  bird  upon  its  back,  clambering  up  to 
the  edge  of  the  nest,  and  then  throwing  it  over  by  a  sharp  jerk. 

At  some  times  of  the  year.  Cuckoos  are  comparatively  tame.  I  have  repeatedly 
decoyed  them  by  imitating  their  cry,  until  they  came  near  enough  for  me  to  see  the 
movement  of  the  beak.  Once  a  Cuckoo  came  voluntarily,  and  settled  on  a  hurdle 
close  by,  uttered  his  peculiar  cry  several  times,  and  then  leisurely  flew  off. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


307 


especially  those  of  the  Tiger  Moth  (Arctia  caja),  the  hairs  of 
which  form  a"  kind  of  lining  to  its  stomach.  A  tame  Cuckoo, 
that  lived  for  more  than  a  year  in  captivity,  seemed  to  consider 
a  young  mouse  an  especial  treat.  The  mouse  was  first  beaten 
against  the  ground  or  a  hard  stone,  until  it  was  reduced  to  a 
soft  mass,  after  which  process  it  was  swallowed.  The  length 
of  the  bird  is  about  fourteen  inches. 


Order  IV.  .  .  COLUMB^E. 

Family  I.  .  .  Columbidse.— (Lat  Columba,  n  Dove.     Dove  kind.) 

Sub-family  b.  Columbines. 


Palumbus  (Lat.  a  Pigeon),  the  Ringdove. 

THIS  family  is  supposed  to  be  more  widely  distributed  than 
any  other.  The  three  pigeons  engraved  are  the  only  species 
that  live  wild  in  this  country. 


308  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

The  KINGDOVE,  or  CUSHAT,  is  the  largest  of  our  native 
pigeons.  A  black  ringlet  round  the  neck,  edged  with  white, 
gives  it  the  name  of  Ringdove.  It  is  very  common  in 
England,  and  its  nests  are  usually  found  to  consist  of  a  few 
sticks,  thrown  loosely  together  on  a  spray  of  fir  or  holly.  The 
structure  of  this  platform,  for  nest  it  can  hardly  be  called,  is  so 
loose,  that  the  white  eggs  can  generally  be  seen  through  the 
interstices. 


(Enas  (Gr.  Olvuf),  the  Stockdove. 

The  STOCKDOVE  builds  its  nest  in  the  stocks  of  trees,  (from 
whence  its  name,)  and  has  been  known  to  lay  its  eggs  in 
deserted  warrens,  without  making  any  nest  at  all.  In  former 
times,  when  forests  of  beech-trees  used  to  cover  the,  country, 
enormous  flocks  of  these  birds  frequented  them,  in  order  to 
feed  on  the  beech-mast.  Now  they  are  not  so  common, 
although  still  in  considerable  numbers. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

TURTUR  (Lat.  a  Turtle-dove). 


Aurltus  (Lat.  eared,)  the  Turtle-dove. 

The  TUKTLE-DOYE,  a  bird  much  revered  by  poets  for  its 
constancy,  is  only  a  spring  visitor  to  our  shores,  arriving 
towards  May,  and  leaving  us  about  September.  The  nest  is 
a  mere  platform  of  twigs,  on  which  the  eggs  are  laid.  The 
constancy  and  affection  of  this  bird  for  its  mate  has  been 
deservedly  celebrated  in  all  ages,  though  it  is  not  easy  to 
understand  why  other  birds,  such  as  the  Raven,  whose  con-^ 
stancy  is  quite  as  remarkable,  should  be  deprived  of  the  meed 
of  praise  due  to  them. 


THE    PASSENGER    PIGEON. 

This  extraordinary  bird,  whose  powers  of  flight  are  almost 
incredible,  is  a  native  of  America,  and  overspreads  the  country 
in  countless  myriads  during  the  breeding  season.  It  is  well 
that  their  power  of  wing  is  so  great,  for  were  the  enormous 
flocks  to  be  confined  to  one  place,  they  would  devour  the 
whole  of  the  grain.  PIGEONS  have  been  killed  in  New  York 
with  Carolina  rice  still  in  their  crops.  As  their  digestion  is 
remarkably  rapid,  these  birds  must  have  flown  between  three 
and  four  hundred  miles  in  six  hours,  giving  an  average  speed 
of  a  mile  per  minute. 

At  the  breeding  season  the  overwhelming  multitudes  of 


310  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

ECTOPISTES. — (Gr.  'Earom^u,  to  migrate.) 


Migratoria  (Lat.  migratory),  the  Passenger  Pigeon, 

Pigeons  that  settle  on  one  spot  are  almost  incredible.  Wilson, 
who  was  present  at  one  of  these  breeding  places,  gives  the  fol- 
lowing account : — 

"  Not  far  from  Shelbyville,  in  the  state  of  Kentucky,  about 
five  years  ago,  there  was  one  of  these  breeding  places,  which 
stretched  through  the  woods  in  nearly  a  north  and  south  direc- 
tion, was  several  miles  in  breadth,  and  was  said  to  be  upwards 
of  forty  miles  in  extent .'  In  this  tract  almost  every  tree  was 
furnished  with  nests,  wherever  the  branches  could  accommodate 
them.  The  pigeons  made  their  first  appearance  there  about 
the  10th  of  April,  and  left  it  altogether,  with  their  young,  before 
the  25th  of  May. 

"  As  soon  as  the  young  were  fully  grown,  and  before  they 
left  the  nests,  numerous  parties  of  the  inhabitants,  from  all 
parts  of  the  adjacent  country,  came  with  waggons,  axes,  beds, 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  311 

cooking  utensils,  many  of  them  accompanied  by  the  greater 
part  of  their  families,  and  encamped  for  several  days  at  this 
immense  nursery.  Several  of  them  informed  me  that  the 
noise  in  the  woods  was  so  great  as  to  terrify  their  horses,  and 
that  it  was  difficult  for  one  person  to  hear  another  speak, 
without  bawling  in  his  ear.  The  ground  was  strewed  with 
broken  limbs  of  trees,  eggs,  and  young  squab  pigeons,  which 
had  been  precipitated  from  above,  and  on  which  herds  of  hogs 
were  fattening.  Hawks,  buzzards,  and  eagles,  were  sailing 
about  in  great  numbers,  and  seizing  the  squabs  from  their 
nests  at  pleasure ;  while  from  twenty  feet  upwards  to  the 
tops  of  the  trees,  the  view  through  the  woods  presented  per- 
petual tumult  of  crowding  and  fluttering  multitudes  of  pigeons, 
their  wings  roaring  like  thunder,  mingled  with  the  frequent 
crash  of  falling  timber, — for  now  the  axe  men  were  at  work 
cutting  down  those  trees  that  seemed  to  be  most  crowded  with 
nests,  and  contrived  to  fell  them  in  such  a  manner,  that  in 
their  descent  they  might  bring  down  several  others,  by  which 
means  the  falling  of  one  large  tree  sometimes  produced  two 
hundred  squabs,  little  inferior  in  size  to  the  old  ones,  and 
almost  one  mass  of  fat. 

"  All  accounts  agree  in  stating  that  each  nest  contains  only 
one  young  squab.  These  are  so  extremely  fat,  that  the 
Indians  and  many  of  the  whites  are  accustomed  to  melt 
down  the  fat  for  domestic  purposes,  as  a  substitute  for  butter 
and  lard." 

A  few  observations  on  the  mode  of  flight  of  these  birds 
must  not  be  omitted.  "A  column,  eight  or  ten  miles  in 
length,  would  appear  from  Kentucky,  high  in  air,  steering 
across  to  Indiana.  The  leaders  of  this  great  body  would 
sometimes  gradually  vary  their  course,  until  it  formed  a  large 
bend  of  more  than  a  mile  in  diameter,  those  behind  tracing 
the  exact  route  of  their  predecessors.  This  would  continue 
sometimes  long  after  both  extremities  were  beyond  the  reach 
of  sight,  so  that  the  whole,  with  its  glittering  undulations, 
marked  a  space  on  the  face  of  the  heavens,  resembling  the 
windings  of  a  vast  and  majestic  river.  .  .  .  Sometimes  a  hawk 
would  make  a  sweep  on  a  particular  part  of  the  column,  from 
a  great  height,  when,  almost  as  quick  as  lightning,  that  part 
shot  downwards  out  of  the  common  track,  but  soon  rising 


312 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


again,  continued  advancing  at  the  same  height  as  before ; 
this  inflection  was  continued  by  those  behind,  who,  on  ar- 
riving at  this  point,  dived  down  almost  perpendicularly  to  a 
great  depth,  and  rising,  followed  the  exact  path  of  those  that 
went  before." 


DOMESTIC  PIGEONS. 

The  above  group  comprises  the  most  conspicuous  varieties 
of  the  Domestic  Pigeon.  All  these  birds,  except  the  Carrier, 
the  Pouter,  and  the  Tumbler,  are  very  similar  in  their  habits, 
and  need  no  description. 

The  TUMBLER  is  a  very  little  pigeon,  and  derives  its  name 
from  its  singular  habit  of  falling  backwards  when  on  the  wing. 
Pigeon  fanciers  assert  that  a  flight  of  twelve  Tumblers  may  be 
covered  with  a  handkerchief. 

The  POUTER  is  a  large  pigeon.  It  stands  particularly  erect, 
and  seems  exceedingly  vain  of  the  swollen  crop  which  gives  it 
the  name  of  Pouter.  The  bird  is  enabled  to  inflate  its  crop 
with  air,  until  the  head  is  almost  hidden  behind  it.  This 
inflation  sometimes  causes  the  bird  to  lose  its  balance,  and 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  313 

fall  down  chimneys,  on  which  it  is  fond  of  standing,  thereby 
illustrating  the  proverb  that  "  Pride  will  have  a  fall." 

The  CARRIER  PIGEON  is  the  bird  that  was  so  largely  em- 
ployed to  take  messages,  before  the  invention  of  the  Electric 
Telegraph  rendered  even  the  speed  of  the  wind  too  slow  for 
the  present  day.  The  most  valuable  carriers  were  trained  to 
carry  to  and  from  their  residence.  A  letter  was  written  on  a 
small  piece  of  paper,  and  fastened  under  the  wing  of  the  pigeon, 
or  to  its  feet.  The  feet  were  then  bathed  in  vinegar  to  keep 
them  cool,  lest  the  bird  should  stop  on  the  way  to  bathe. 
When  the  Pigeon  was  set  free,  it  rose  high  in  the  air,  made 
one  or  two  circular  flights,  and  then  darted  ofF  like  an  arrow 
in  the  proper  direction.  One  of  these  birds  has  been  known  to 
fly  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  one  hour. 


THE    PEACOCK. 

THIS  magnificent  bird  is  not  a  native  of  this  countiy,  but 
has  been  domesticated  in  England  for  many  years.  Some 
suppose  that  it  was  at  first  brought  from  India  by  Alexander, 
and  by  him  introduced  into  Europe.  The  magnificent  plumes 
that  adorn  the  Peacock  are  not  the  tail,  as  many  suppose,  but 
the  tail-coverts.  The  tail  feathers  themselves  are  short  and 
rigid,  and  serve  to  keep  the  train  expanded,  as  may  be  seen 
when  the  bird  walks  about  in  all  the  majesty  of  his  expanded 
plumage. 

Although  pea-fowl  seek  their  food  on  the  ground,  they 
invariably  roost  on  some  elevated  situation,  such  as  a  high 
branch  or  the  roof  of  a  barn  or  haystack.  When  the  bird  is 
perched  on  the  roof,  its  train  lies  along  the  thatch,  and  is  quite 
invisible  in  the  dusk. 

We  have  almost  dismissed  pea-fowl  from  our  entertainments 
in  these  days,  but  in  the  times  of  chivalry,  a  roasted  peacock, 
still  clothed  in  its  plumage,  and  with  its  train  displayed, 
formed  one  of  the  chief  ornaments  of  the  regal  board.  The 
nest  of  this  bird  is  made  of  sticks  and  leaves  rudely  thrown 
together,  and  contains  from  twelve  to  fifteen  eggs.  The 
young  do  not  attain  their  full  plumage  until  the  third  year, 
and  only  the  males  possess  the  vivid  tints  and  lengthened 
O 


14  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Order  V GALLING 

Family  III.  .  Phasianidse. — (Gr.  Qaaiavog ,  a  Pheasant,  i.  e.  a  bird  from 

the  river  Phasis  in  Colchis.     Pheasant-kind.) 
Sub-family  a.  Pavonince. 

PAVO  (Lat.  a  Peacock). 


Cristatus^Lat.  crested),  the  Peacock. 

train,  the  female  being  a  comparatively  ordinary  bird.  A 
white  variety  of  the  Peacock  is  not  uncommon.  In  this  case, 
the  eyes  of  the  train  feathers  are  slightly  marked  with  a  kind 
of  neutral  tint. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  6.  Phasianince. 
ARGUS. — (Gr.  proper  name.) 


315 


Giganteus  (Lat.  gigantic),  the  Argus  Pheasant. 

The  ARGUS  PHEASANT  is  found  in  Sumatra  and  the  south- 
eastern parts  of  Asia.  The  magnificently  marked  secondary 
quill  feathers  render  it  a  most  conspicuous  bird.  The  primary 
feathers  are  comparatively  short.  No  living  specimen  has 
yet  been  brought  to  Europe,  as  it  is  said  to  pine  in  captivity. 
In  its  native  haunts  it  is  very  shy,  avoiding  the  proximity  of 
human  abodes,  and  living  in  the  solitary  depths  of  woods.* 

*  The  bird  derives  its  name  from  the  shepherd  Argus,  who  had  a  hundred  eyes, 
and  was  set  by  Juno  to  watcli  lo. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


PHASIANU9. 


Colchicus  (Lat.  Colchian),  the  Pheasant. 

The  COMMON  PHEASANT  was  originally  brought  from  Georgia, 
and  has  completely  naturalised  itself  in  this  country.  It  is  a 
hardy  hird,  and  bears  the  cold  months  very  well.  Although  it 
can  be  tamed  and  will  come  to  be  fed  with  the  poultry,  yet  an 
innate  timidity  prevents  it  from  being  thoroughly  domesticated. 
Young  pheasants  that  have  been  hatched  under  a  hen,  scamper 
off  in  terror  if  an  unexpected  intruder  makes  his  appearance 
among  them,  although  the  remainder  of  the  poultry  remain 
perfectly  unconcerned. 

This  bird  loves  to  perch  at  night  on  trees,  especially  on  the 
spreading  branches  of  the  larch.  Poachers  are  so  well  aware 
of  this  habit  that  they  always  visit  the  larches  first,  while  on 
their  marauding  excursions.  A  few  spruce-firs  surrounded 
by  dense  and  tall  holly  hedges  form  an  excellent  place  of  refuge 
for  the  birds,  who  can  bid  the  poacher  defiance  from  their 
stronghold.  A  few  dozen  wooden  pheasants  nailed  on  the 
branches  of  the  unguarded  trees,  are  admirably  adapted  for 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


317 


trying  the  patience  and  wasting  the  ammunition  of  the  noctur- 
nal plunderer. 

A  white  variety  of  the  Pheasant  sometimes  occurs,  hut  seems 
never  to  he  propagated.  The  nest  of  the  hird  is  made  on  the 
ground,  and  contains  from  ten  to  eighteen  eggs  of  an  uniform 
dun  colour. 


Sub-family  c.     Oallincf. 
GALLUS.— (Lat.  a  Cock.) 


Domesticus  (Lat.  domestic),  the  Domestic  Fowl. 

The  DOMESTIC  FOWLS  are  too  well  known  to  need  much 
description.  There  are  many  varieties,  the  most  conspicuous 
of  which  are  the  Cochin-China,  Crested,  and  Bantam.  The 
Game  Fowl  was  formerly  in  great  request  for  the  cruel  sport 
of  cock-fighting,  an  amusement  which,  although  happily  now 
almost  extinct,  was  in  great  vogue  hut  a  few  years  since. 
The  Java  Fowl,  of  which  the  enormous  Cochin-China  bird  is 
a  variety,  is  supposed  to  he  the  origin  of  the  Barn-door  fowl.* 

*  A  young  hen  of  the  Cochin-China  breed,  when  introduced  among  the  other 
imultry  of  a  farmyard,  was  shamefully  persecuted  by  its  companions.  It  was  very 


318  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

The  cock  has  been  long  celebrated  for  his  warlike  propensities, 
and  his  habit  of  greeting  the  approach  of  morn  by  his  "  shrill 
clarion." 

The  Bantam  is  a  very  little  bird  indeed,  but  exceedingly 
courageous,  and  does  riot  hesitate  to  attack  a  turkey  or  such 
large  bird  with  most  amusing  pompousness  of  manner.  Some 
Bantams- have  their  legs  thickly  leathered  down  to  the  very 
toes.  The  hackles  or  long  neck  feathers  of  this  and  the 
preceding  bird  are  much  used  by  anglers  for  making  artificial 
flies. 

The  celebrated  Jungle  Fowl  of  India  belongs  to  this  race, 
and  is  by  many  supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  our  domestic 
game  fowl.  The  Chinese,  who  are  greatly  addicted  to  the 
sport  of  cock-fighting,  prefer  this  bird  for  their  cruel  amuse- 
ment. 

The  Dorking  Fowl  is  a  large  and  delicate  species.  The 
chief  peculiarity  in  this  bird  is  the  double  hind  toe,  so  that  it 
has  five  toes  instead  of  four. 


THE   TURKEY. 

The  TURKEY  is  an  inhabitant  of  America,  and  appears  to 
have  been  imported  into  Europe  about  the  year  1600.  Its 
habits  in  a  state  of  domestication  need  no  description,  but 
when  wild  in  its  native  woods  are  rather  interesting.  It 
is  partly  migratory  in  its  habits,  moving  from  the  parts 
about  Ohio,  Kentucky  and  Indiana,  towards  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi.  The  march  is  usually  performed  on  foot  in  large 
flocks,  the  birds  seldom  using  their  wings  except  when  at- 
tacked, or  in  order  to  cross  a  river.  The  powerful  birds  can 
easily  cross  a  river  of  a  mile  in  breadth,  but  the  weaker 
frequently  fall  into  the  water,  and  then  paddle  to  shore  with 
some  rapidity.  This  migration  is  performed  about  the  end 
of  October.  Bonaparte,  in  his  splendid  work  on  the  American 

absurd  to  see  the  poor  creature  pecking  up  a  stray  crumb  or  two  outside  the  general 
circle,  and  flying  in  terror  before  a  little  game  hen,  if  it  ventured  to  approach  too 
close.  The  principal  advantage  of  this  bird  seems  to  be  that  the  chickens,  from  their 
superior  size,  are  ready  for  the  market  at  an  earlier  age  than  those  of  the  ordinary 
fowl. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Sub-family  d.  Meleagrinae. 
MELEAGRIS.— (Gr.  MeAeayptf,  a  Guinea-fowl.) 


Gallopavo  (Lat.  the  Turkey). 

Ornithology,  gives  an  account  of  the  ingenious  way  in  which 
the  turkeys  escape  the  insiduous  attacks  of  their  enemies. 

"  These  birds  are  guardians  of  each  other,  and  the  first  who 
sees  a  hawk  or  eagle  gives  a  note  of  alarm,  on  which  all  within 
hearing  lie  close  to  the  ground.  As  they  usually  roost  in 
flocks,  perched  on  the  naked  branches  of  trees,  they  are  easily 
discovered  by  the  large  owls,  and  when  attacked  by  these 
prowling  birds,  often  escape  by  a  somewhat  remarkable 
manoeuvre.  The  owl  sails  round  the  spot  to  select  his  prey, 
but  notwithstanding  the  almost  inaudible  action  of  his 
pinions,  the  quick  ear  of  one  of  the  slumberers  perceives  the 
danger,  which  is  immediately  announced  to  the  whole  party 
by  a  chuck :  thus  alarmed,  they  rise  on  their  legs,  and  watch 
the  motions  of  the  owl,  who,  darting  like  an  arrow,  would 
inevitably  secure  the  individual  at  which  he  aimed,  did  not 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


the  latter  suddenly  drop  his  head,  squat,  and  spread  his  tail 
over  his  back ;  the  owl  then  glances  over  without  inflicting 
any  injury,  at  the  very  instant  that  the  turkey  suffers  him- 
self to  fall  headlong  towards  the  earth,  when  he  is  secure  from 
his  dreaded  enemy." 


Meleagris,  the  Guinea-fowl. 

The  GUINEA-FOWL  or  PINTADO  was  originally  brought  from 
Africa,  and  was  anciently  confounded  with  the  turkey.  From 
its  peculiar  cry  it  has  gained  the  name  of  "  Come-back."  In 
its  wild  state  it  is  gregarious,  assembling  in  large  flocks  in 
some  marshy  situation.  At  night  the  birds  roost  on  the  trees 
in  company,  like  the  turkey.  It  is  of  a  restless,  wandering 
disposition,  which  does  not  leave  it  in  captivity,  the  bird  fre- 
quently wandering  for  several  miles  from  its  home.  Like  the 
turkey,  the  Pintado  lays  its  eggs  in  the  closest  concealment  it 
can  find.  The  eggs  are  rather  smaller  than  those  of  the  hen, 
the  shell  is  very  thick,  and  the  colour  is  a  yellowish  red  pro- 
fusely spotted  with  dark  brown. 

This  is  the  bird  that  was  called  Meleagris  by  the  ancients. 
The  sisters  of  Meleager  were  said  to  have  been  metamorphosed 
into  birds,  whose  feathers  were  sprinkled  with  the  tears  shed 

for  his  death. 

\ 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  321 


Family  IV.  .  .  Tetraomdae. 
Sub-family  a.  .  PerdicinoB. 

PERDIX — (Gr.  Tlfpfii!;,  a  Partridge.) 


Cinerea  (Lat.  asAy),  the  Partridge. 

The  PARTRIDGE,  an  inhabitant  of  England,  is  well  known 
as  one  of  the  birds  included  in  the  designation  of  "  game." 
It  lays  from  fifteen  to  twenty  eggs  in  a  rude  nest  placed  on 
the  ground,  and  displays  great  attachment  to  them,  and  no 
small  ingenuity  in  decoying  an  intruder  away.  Mr.  Jesse 
mentions  that  a  gentleman  who  was  overlooking  his  plough- 
man, saw  a  partridge  run  from  her  nest,  almost  crushed  by 
the  horses'  hoofs.  Being  certain  that  the  next  furrow  must 
bury  the  eggs  and  nest,  he  watched  for  the  return  of  the 
plough,  when  to  his  great  astonishment  the  nest,  previously 
containing  twenty-one  eggs,  was  vacant.  After  a  search,  he 
found  the  bird  sitting  upon  the  eggs  under  a  hedge,  nearly 
forty  yards  from  the  nest,  to  which  place  she  and  her  mate 
had  removed  the  whole  number  in  less  than  twenty  minutes. 
In  some  parts  of  England  the  Partridge  is  very  plentiful— 


322  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

one  sportsman  having  shot  in  two  days  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  brace  on  one  manor. 

The  length  of  the  bird  is  twelve  inches  and  a  half ;  the 
wing  is  short  and  rounded,  causing  the  peculiar  whirring 
sound  when  in  motion ;  the  third  and  fourth  primary  feathers 
are  the  longest. 

COTTJRNIX. — (Lat.) 


Communis  (Lat.  common),  the  Quail. 

The  GLuAiL  is  a  tolerably  common  little  bird,  visiting  England 
in  the  summer.  Countless  flocks  of  them  are  spread  over 
the  whole  of  Southern  Europe,  and  multitudes  are  taken  and 
sent  to  the  London  markets ;  thirty-six  thousand  having  been 
purchased  during  one  season  by  the  London  poulterers. 

Temminck  states  that  hundreds  of  thousands  arrive  in 
Naples  and  Provence,  and  are  so  fatigued  that  for  several 
days  they  suffer  themselves  to  be  taken  by  hand.  We  are 
here  reminded  of  the  flight  of  Gluails  with  which  the  Israelites 
were  fed,  the  sacred  narrative  even  preserving  the  nocturnal 
flight  of  these  birds.  "  And  it  came  to  pass  that  at  even 
the  Quails  came  up  and  covered  the  camp."  Probably  the 
instinct  to  fly  by  night  is  implanted  in  them  for  the  purpose 
of  avoiding  the  birds  of  prey  that  would  attack  them  by  day. 
The  female  lays  from  seven  to  twelve  eggs  in  a  rude  nest  on 
the  ground. 

The  length  of  the  bird  is  seven  inches ;  the  second  primary 
feather  is  the  longest. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  b.     Tetraonince. 
TETRAO. — (Lat.  a  Bustard.} 


Urogallus,  the  Capercaillie. 

The  CAPERCAILLIE  or  COCK  OF  THE  WOOD  is  common  in 
most  parts  of  northern  Europe,  and  was  once  to  be  found  in 
Scotland  and  Ireland.  The  male  is  a  large  bird,  almost 
equalling  a  Turkey  in  size,  but  the  female  is  considerably 
smaller.  In  the  early  spring,  before  the  snow  has  left  the 
ground,  this  singular  bird  commences  his  celebrated  "  play." 
This  play  is  confined  to  the  males,  and  intended  to  give 
notice  of  their  presence  to  the  females  who  are  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. "  During  the  play,"  says  Lloyd,  "the  neck  of  the 
Capercaillie  is  stretched  out,  his  tail  is  raised  and  spread  like 
a  fan,  his  wings  droop,  his  feathers  are  ruffled  up,  and  in  short 
he  much  resembles  in  appearance  an  angry  turkey-cock.  He 
begins  his  play  with  a  call  something  resembling  peller,  peller, 
peller ;  these  sounds  he  repeats  at  some  little  intervals,  but 


324  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

as  he  proceeds,  they  increase  in  rapidity,  iintil  at  last,  and 
after  perhaps  the  lapse  of  a  minute  or  so,  he  makes  a  sort  of 
gulp  in  his  throat,  and  finishes  with  sucking  in,  as  it  were,  his 
breath. 

"  During  the  continuance  of  this  latter  process,  which  only 
lasts  a  few  seconds,  the  head  of  the  Capercaillie  is  thrown  up, 
his  eyes  are  partially  closed,  and  his  whole  appearance  would 
denote  that  he  is  worked  up  into  an  agony  of  passion.  At  this 
time,  his  faculties  are  much  absorbed,  and  it  is  not  difficult  to 
approach  him." 

The  nest  is  made  on  the  ground,  and  contains  from  six  to 
twelve  eggs. 


Tetrix,  the  Black  Grouse. 

The  BLACK  GROUSE  or  BLACK  COCK  is  still  found  on  the 
moors  of  Scotland  and  some  parts  of  England,  and  with  the 
red  grouse  tempts  innumerable  sportsmen  annually  to  spend 
their  leisure  months  on  the  moors. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  325 

LAGOPUS. — (Gr.  Aayuf ,  a  Hare ;  irovg ,  a  foot ;  the  Ptarmigan.) 


Scoticus  (Lat.  Scotch],  the  Red  Grouse. 

The  RED  GROUSE  has  never  been  found  -wild  on  the  Conti- 
nent, but  seems  to  confine  itself  exclusively  to  the  heaths  of 
Scotland,  Wales  and  Ireland.  In  these  places  it  is  very 
numerous,  associating  in  flocks  or  "  packs,"  and  together 
with  the  black  grouse  is  eagerly  pursued  by  sportsmen,  who 
are  frequently  baffled  by  the  shy  and  wary  habits  of  the  birds. 
The  nest  of  the  Red  Grouse  is  formed  of  heath  and  grass 
carelessly  heaped  together  on  the  ground  under  the  shelter 
of  some  low  shrub.  The  young  are  fully  fledged  by  August. 


THE    PTARMIGAN. 

The  legs  and  feet  of  the  PTARMIGANS  are  thickly  covered 
with  hair-like  feathers  reaching  as  far  as  the  claws.  Their 
plumage  bears  a  singular  analogy  to  the  fur  of  the  ermine 
and  some  other  quadrupeds,  as  it  changes  in  winter  from  a 
rich  almost  tortoiseshell  colour  to  a  pure  white.  The 
common  Ptarmigan  inhabits  the  northern  parts  of  Europe 
and  America,  and  is  also  found  in  the  north  of  Scotland, 
principally  among  the  mountains.  The  colour  of  the  bird 
is  so  similar  to  that  of  the  mossy  and  lichen-covered  rocks 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


•    Albus  (Lat  white),  the  Ptarmigan. 

among  which  it  dwells,  that  a  whole  covey  easily  eludes  an 
unpractised  eye. 

Enormous  numbers  of  Ptarmigans  are  annually  imported 
from  the  north  of  Europe,  especially  Norway  and  Sweden,  to 
the  London  market.  One  poulterer  has  purchased  fifteen 
thousand  of  these  hirds,  and  twenty-four  thousand  have  been 
exported  in  one  ship  from  one  place. 

Like  that  of  the  grouse,  the  Ptarmigan's  nest  is  a  loosely 
constructed  heap  of  twigs  and  grass,  and  contains  from  ten 
to  fourteen  eggs  of  a  reddish  white  spotted  with  brown. 


THE   BRUSH   TURKEY. 

The  MEGAPOBID^E,  deriving  their  name  from  the  enormous 
size  of  their  feet,  are  inhabitants  of  Australia  and  the  Papuan 
Islands.  In  the  habits  of  these  birds  there  is  a  peculiarity 
hardly  less  singular  than  surprising.  Instead  of  hatching 
their  eggs  by  the  warmth  of  the  body,  as  most  birds  do,  not 
excepting  the  ostrich,  the  Megapodes  bury  their  eggs  in  a 
decaying  heap  of  grass  and  leaves,  trusting  to  the  heat  fur- 
nished by  the  fermentation  to  hatch  the  eggs. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family  V.    Megapodidse. — (Gr.  Meyaf,  great ;  Trovf,  a  foot.     The 
great-footed  kind.) 


TALEGALLUS. 


Lathami  (Lat.  of  Latham),  the  Brush  Turkey. 

The  BRUSH  TURKEY  is  principally  found  in  the  thick 
brushwood  of  New  South  Wales.  Mr.  Gould,  who  first 
brought  it  before  the  public,  gives  this  curious  account  of 
their  nests : — "  The  mode  in  which  the  materials  composing 
these  mounds  are  accumulated  is  equally  singular,  the  bird 
never  using  its  bill,  but  always  grasping  a  quantity  in  its 
foot,  throwing  it  backwards  to  one  common  centre,  and  thus 
clearing  the  surface  of  the  ground  for  a  considerable  distance 
so  completely  that  scarcely  a  leaf  or  a  blade  of  grass  is  left. 
The  heap  being  accumulated,  and  time  allowed  for  a  sufficient 
heat  to  be  engendered,  the  eggs  are  deposited,  not  side  by  side 
as  is  ordinarily  the  case,  but  planted  at  the  distance  of  nine 
or  twelve  inches  from  each  other,  and  buried  at  nearly  an 
arm's  depth,  perfectly  upright,  with  the  large  end  upwards. 


328  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

They  are  covered  up  as  they  are  laid,  and  allowed  to  remain 
until  hatched.  I  am  credibly  informed,  both  by  natives  and 
settlers  living  near  their  haunts,  that  it  is  not  an  unusual  event 
to  obtain  nearly  a  bushel  of  eggs  at  one  time  from  a  single 
heap  ;  and  as  they  are  delicious  eating  they  are  eagerly  sought 
after." 

When  the  Brush  Turkey  is  disturbed,  it  either  runs  through 
the  tangled  underwood  with  singular  rapidity,  or  springs  upon 
a  low  branch  of  some  tree,  and  reaches  the  summit  by  a  suc- 
cession of  leaps  from  branch  to  branch.  This  latter  peculiarity 
renders  it  an  easy  prey  to  the  sportsman. 

MEGAPODIUS. 


Tumulus  (Lat  a  Mound),  the  Mound-making  Megapode. 

The  MOUND-MAKING  MEGAPODE  inhabits  the  dense  thickets 
bordering  on  the  sea-shore,  and  is  never  found  far  inland. 
Like  the  Brush  Turkey  it  deposits  many  eggs  in  one  mound, 
but  instead  of  placing  them  at  intervals  in  the  mound,  the  bird 
makes  deep  holes  from  five  to  six  feet,  at  the  bottom  of  which 
the  eggs  are  deposited.  The  natives  obtain  the  eggs  by 
scratching  up  the  earth  with  their  fingers,  until  they  have 
traced  the  hole  to  the  bottom ;  a  very  laborious  task,  as  the 
holes  seldom  run  straight,  and  often  turn  off  at  right  angles 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  320 

to  avoid  a  stone  or  root.  The  mounds  are  enormously  large. 
Mr.  Gilbert  was  told  by  the  residents  that  they  were  the 
tombs  of  the  aborigines,  nor  was  it  until  after  some  time  that 
their  real  nature  was  made  known.  The  height  of  one  mound 
was  fifteen  feet,  and  its  circumference  at  the  base  sixty  feet. 


THE    OSTRICH. 

The  STRUTHIONID.E  include  the  Ostrich,  Emu,  Cassowary, 
and  Apteryx.  The  birds  of  this  family  are  all  remarkable  ibr 
the  shortness  of  their  wings,  which  are  weak  and  unable  to  raise 
them  from  the  ground,  but  appear  to  assist  them  in  running. 
On  this  account  Cuvier  called  the  family  Brevipennes,  i.  e.  short- 
winged  birds. 

The  OSTRICH  is  the  largest  bird  as  yet  known  to  exist,  its 
height  being  from  six  to  eight  feet.  It  is  an  inhabitant  of  Africa, 
and  from  thence  the  elegant  plumes  are  brought.  These  plumes 
are  mostly  obtained  from  the  wings  of  the  bird,  and  not  from 
the  tail,  as  is  generally  imagined. 

An  immense  number  of  eggs  are  laid  by  the  Ostriches  in  one 
spot,  several  birds  belonging  to  each  nest.  The  eggs  are  very 
large  and  strong,  and  are  in  general  use  by  the  Bosjesmans  for 
holding  water.  By  means  of  these  eggs,  which  they  bury  at 
intervals  in  the  sand,  after  filling  them  with  water,  they  are 
enabled  to  make  inroads  across  the  desert  and  retreat  with 
security,  as  none  can  follow  them  for  want  of  water.  Each 
egg  holds  rather  more  than  five  pints.  An  excellent  omelet  is 
made  by  the  natives,  by  burying  the  fresh  egg  in  hot  ashes,  and 
stirring  round  the  contents  with  a  stick  through  a  hole  in  the 
upper  end,  until  thoroughly  cooked. 

The  principal  strength  of  the  Ostrich  tribe  lies  in  the  legs. 
These  limbs  are  so  powerful  that  a  swift  horse  has  great  diffi- 
culty in  overtaking  the  bird.  As  the  Ostrich  mostly  runs  in 
large  curves,  the  hunters  cut  across  and  intercept  the  bird, 
which  would  in  all  probability  escape  if  followed  in  its  exact 
course. 

The  Ostrich  is  easily  tamed,  as  those  who  have  been 
pursued  by  the  magnificent  birds  in  the  Zoological  Gardens 


330 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Order  VI.  STRUTHIONES. 

Family  I.  Struthiomdse. — (Gr.  2 Tpavffof,  an  ostrich.  Ostrich  kind.) 

Sub-family  a.  .  Struthionince. 

STRUTHIO. 


CamSlus  (Gr.  Ka/^Aof,  a  Camel),  the  Ostrich. 


can  testify.  These  frequently  astonish  the  visitor  by  suddenly 
snatching  out  of  his  hand  a  bun  or  cake  which  he  had  in- 
tended for  his  own  special  benefit,  their  long  necks  enabling 
them  to  reach  to  a  surprising  distance.  Many  of  my  readers 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  331 

have  doubtless  seen  the  tame  ostriches  at  the  Hippodrome,  who 
ran  races  bearing  riders  on  their  backs,  and  really  seemed  to 
enjoy  the  sport  as  much  as  any  of  the  spectators.  The  inter- 
esting narrative  of  Captain  Gumming  contains  some  useful  re- 
marks on  the  habits  of  the  Ostrich,  and  the  method  in  which  it 
is  destroyed  by  the  Bosjesmans. 

"  While  encamped  at  this  vley  we  fell  in  with  several  nests 
of  ostriches  ;  and  here  I  first  ascertained  a  singular  propensity 
peculiar  to  these  birds.  If  a  person  discovers  the  nest,  and 
does  not  at  once  remove  the  eggs,  on  returning  he  will  most 
probably  find  them  all  smashed.  This  the  old  birds  almost 
invariably  do,  even  when  the  intruder  has  not  handled  the 
eggs,  or  so  much  as  ridden  within  five  yards  of  them.  The 
nest  is  merely  a  hollow  scooped  in  the  sandy  soil,  generally 
amongst  heath  or  other  low  bushes  ;  its  diameter  is  about  seven 
feet ;  it  is  believed  that  two  hens  often  lay  in  one  nest.  The 
hatching  of  the  eggs  is  not  left,  as  is  generally  believed,  to 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  cock  relieves 
the  hen  in  the  incubation.  These  eggs  form  a  considerable 
item  in  the  Bushmen's  cuisine,  and  the  shells  are  converted 
into  water  flasks,  cups,  and  dishes.  I  have  often  seen  Bush- 
girls  and  Bakalahari  women,  who  belong  to  the  wandering 
Bechuana  tribes  of  the  Kalahari  desert,  come  down  to  the 
fountains  from  their  remote  habitations,  sometimes  situated 
at  an  amazing  distance,  each  carrying  on  her  back  a  kaross 
or  a  net- work  containing  from  twelve  to  fifteen  ostrich  egg- 
shells, which  had  been  emptied  by  a  small  aperture  at  one 
end ;  these  they  fill  with  water  and  cork  up  the  hole  with 


;  A  favourite  method  adopted  by  the  wild  Bushman  for 
approaching  the  Ostrich  and  other  varieties  of  game,  is  to 
clothe  himself  in  the  skin  of  one  of  these  birds,  in  which, 
taking  care  of  the  wind,  he  stalks  about  the  plain,  cunningly 
imitating  the  gait  and  motions  of  the  Ostrich,  until  within 
range,  when,  with  a  well-directed  poisoned  arrow  from  his 
tiny  bow,  he  can  generally  seal  the  fate  of  any  of  the  ordinary 
varieties  of  game.  These  insignificant-looking  arrows  are 
about  two  feet  six  inches  in  length  ;  they  consist  of  a  slender 
reed,  with  a  sharp  bone  head,  thoroughly  poisoned  with  a 
composition,  of  which  the  principal  ingredients  are  obtained 


332  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

sometimes  from  a  succulent  herb,  having  thick  leaves,  yielding 
a  poisonous  milky  juice,  and  sometimes"  from  the  jaws  of 
snakes.  The  bow  barely  exceeds  three  feet  in  length ;  its 
string  is  of  twisted  sinews.  When  a  Bushman  finds  an  os- 
trich's nest  he  ensconces  himself  in  it,  and  there  awaits  the 
return  of  the  old  birds,  by  which  means  he  generally  secures 
the  pair.  It  is  by  means  of  these  little  arrow's  that  the  major- 
ity of  the  fine  plumes  are  obtained  which  grace  the  heads  of  the 
fair  throughout  the  civilized  world." 

The  food  of  the  Ostrich  is  vegetable,  and  it  swallows  many 
stones,  &c.  to  assist  it  in  grinding  its  food.  When  in  confine- 
ment it  picks  up  anything,  glass,  nails,  &c.,  from  the  effects  of 
which  it  sometimes  dies.* 

Capt.  Gumming  remarks  a  fact  not  generally  known,  viz.  the 
care  that  the  Ostrich  takes  of  its  young.  It  has  generally  been 
supposed  that  after  the  eggs  are  laid,  the  female  leaves  them 
to  be  hatched  in  the  sun,  and  takes  no  more  care  for  them. 
The  following  anecdote  would  do  honour  to  the  far-famed  Lap- 
wing. "  I  fell  in  with  a  troop  of  about  twelve  young  ostrich- 
es, which  were  not  much  larger  than  Guinea-fowls.  I  was 
amused  to  see  the  mother  endeavour  to  lead  us  away,  exactly 
like  a  wild  duck,  spreading  out  and  drooping  her  wings,  and 
throwing  herself  down  on  the  ground  before  us  as  if  wounded, 
while  the  cock  bird  cunningly  led  the  brood  away  in  an  oppo- 
site direction." 

The  Rhea,  or  American  Ostrich,  is  abundant  on  the  banks 
of  the.  river  La  Plata,  and  is  chased  by  the  Gauchos,  who  pur- 
sue it  on  horseback,  and  kill  it  by  throwing  the  celebrated 
"  bolas."  These  curious  weapons  are  made  of  a  long  leathern 
thong,  having  a  heavy  stone  or  leaden  ball  attached  to  each  end. 
The  Gaucho  can  throw  it  so  as  either  to  stun  his  prey  with  a 
blow  from  the  ball,  or  strangle  it  by  causing  the  thong  to  twist 
round  its  neck. 

It  is  known  that  the  Rhea  can  swim  well,  and  frequently 
crosses  rivers  several  hundred  feet  in  width,  a  power  which  the 
ostrich  and  the  cassowary  are  not  ascertained  to  possess.  There 
are  two  species  of  this  bird,  one,  the  Darwin's  Rhea,  has  been 
but  lately  introduced  to  science. 

*  I  have  been  present  at  the  dissection  of  an  ostrich,  when  an  astonishing  amount 
of  pebbles  and  other  hard  materials  was  taken  from  its  stomach,  among  which  were 
a  tolerably  large  piece  of  deal,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  a  brickbat. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


CASUARIUS. 


Casoar,  the  Cassowary. 

The  CASSOWARY  is  a  native  of  the  eastern  parts  of  Asia. 
Like  the  ostrich,  it  cannot  fly,  but  runs  with  great  swiftness, 
and  if  attacked  by  dogs  kicks  with  extreme  force  and  rapidity. 
The  feathers  of  this  bird  are  remarkable  for  being  composed 
of  two  long,  thread-like  feathers,  sprouting  from  the  same  root. 
The  wing  feathers  are  round,  black,  and  strong,  and  resemble 
the  quills  of  the  porcupine.  At  the  end  of  the  last  joint  of  the 
wing  is  a  sort  of  claw  or  spur. 

The  food  of  the  bird  consists  of  vegetable  substances,  and  it 
will  frequently  swallow  a  tolerably  large  apple  entire,  trusting 
to  the  pebbles,  &c.  in  its  stomach  to  bruise  it. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
DROMAIUS. — (Gr.  Apoftalof,  running  swiftly.) 


Novse-Hollandise  (Lat  of  New  Holland),  the  Einu. 

The  EMU  is  a  native  of  New  Holland,  and  nearly  equals 
the  ostrich  in  bulk,  its  height  being  between  five  and  six 
feet.  Its  feathers  lie  loosely  on  the  body,  and  its  wings  are 
small  and  hardly  to  be  distinguished.  The  skin  of  the  Emu 
furnishes  a  bright  and  clear  oil,  on  which  account  it  is  eagerly 
sought  after.  Mr.  Bennet  gives  the  following  account  of  the 
habits  of  this  bird. 

"In  its  manners  the  Emu  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  the 
ostrich.  .  .  Its  food  appears  to  be  wholly  vegetable,  consisting 
chiefly  of  fruits,  roots,  and  herbage,  and  it  is  consequently, 
notwithstanding  its  great  strength,  perfectly  inoffensive.  The 
length  of  its  legs  and  the  muscularity  of  its  thighs  enable  it 
to  run  with  great  swiftness ;  and  as  it  is  exceedingly  shy,  it  is 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  335 

not  easily  overtaken  or  brought  within  gunshot.  Captain 
Currie  states  that  it  affords  excellent  coursing,  equalling  if  not 
surpassing  the  same  sport  with  the  hare  in  England  ;  but  Mr. 
Cunningham  says  that  dogs  will  seldom  attack  it,  both  on  ac- 
count of  some  peculiar  odour  in  its  flesh  which  they  dislike, 
and  because  the  injuries  inflicted  upon  them  by  striking  out 
with  its  feet  are  frequently  very  severe.  The  settlers  even  as- 
sert that  the  Emu  will  break  the  small  bone  of  a  man's  leg  by 
this  sort  of  kick  ;  to  avoid  which,  the  well- trained  dogs  run  up 
abreast,  and  make  a  sudden  spring  at  their  neck,  whereby  they 
are  quickly  dispatched." 

"  Its  flesh  has  been  compared  to  coarse  beef,  which'  it  re- 
sembles both  in  appearance  and  taste.  There  is  but-  little 
fit  for  culinary  use  upon  any  part  of  the  Emu  except  the  hind 
quarters." 

The  voice  of  the  Emu  is  a  kind  of  low  booming  sound.  The 
eggs  are  six  or  seven  in  number,  of  a  dark  green  colour,  and 
are  much  esteemed  by  the  natives  as  food.  When  the  natives 
take  an  Emu,  they  break  its  wings,  a  curious  custom  of  no  per- 
ceptible utility.  Young  men  and  boys  are  not  permitted  to 
eat  the  flesh  of  this  bird. 


THE    APTERYX. 

This  extraordinary  bird,  whose  name  is  derived  from  the  ap- 
parent' absence  of  wings,  those  members  being  merely  rudi- 
mentary, inhabits  Australia  and  the  islands  of  New  Zealand. 
It  conceals  itself  among  the  densest  fern,  and  when  hunted  by 
dogs,  it  hastens  to  seek  a  refuge  among  rocks  and  in  the  cham- 
bers which  it  excavates  in  the  earth.  In  these  chambers  its 
nest  is  made  and  the  eggs  laid.  The  natives  hunt  it  with 
great  eagerness,  as  the  skin  is  used  for  the  dresses  of  chiefs, 
who  are  so  tenacious  of  them  that  they  can  hardly  be  per- 
suaded to  part  with  a  single  skin.  The  feathers  are  employed 
to  make  artificial  flies.  When  attacked  it  defends  itself  by 
rapid  and  vigorous  strokes  with  its  powerful  feet. 

Dr.  Shaw  first  brought  this  bird  before  the  notice  of  the 
public,  but  for  many  years  naturalists  considered  it  an  extinct 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  b.  Apteryginte. 
APTERYX. — (Gr.  a,  priv. ;  Trreovt;,  a  wing;  wingless.) 


Australis  (Lat.  Australian,)  the  Apteryx. 

species.  Latterly  the  question  has  been  set  at  rest,  not  only 
by  the  researches  of  Gould  and  other  naturalists,  but  'by  the 
arrival  in  this  country  of  several  skins  *  and  one  living  speci- 
men, now  in  the  Zoological  Gardens.  This  bird  has  a  singular 
habit  of  resting  with  the  tip  of  its  bill  placed  on  the  ground. 
The  nostrils  of  the  APTERYX  are  placed  almost  at  the  very  ex- 
tremity of  the  bill.  The  aborigines  of  New  Zealand  give  it  the 
name  of  Kiwi  Kiwi.  The  food  of  the  bird  consists  of  snails, 
insects,  and  worms,  which  latter  creatures  it  obtains  by  striking 
the  ground  with  its  feet,  and  seizing  them  on  their  appearance 
at  the  surface. 

*  A  small  but  well  preserved  skin  is  mounted  in  the  Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford. 
The  rudimentary  wings  are  very  well  shown.  A  skeleton  is  in  the  museum  of  the 
College  of  Surgeons. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Sub-family  c.  Didince. 


Ineptus  (Lat.  stupid),  the  Dodo. 

This  singular  bird,  which  is  supposed  to  be  extinct,  was 
discovered  at  the  Mauritius  by  the  earlier  voyagers.  For 
many  years  their  accounts  of  the  Dodars  were  supposed  to  be 
mere  flights  of  fancy.  Lately,  however,  the  discovery  of 
several  relics  of  this  bird  in  various  countries  has  set  the 
question  at  rest.  Not  so  the  question  of  the  proper  position 
of  the  bird.  Some  think  it  belongs  to  the  pigeons,  and  some 
to  the  ostriches.  In  the  Ashmolean  Museum  at  Oxford  are 
a  head  and  foot  of  the  Dodo,  sole  remnants  of  a  perfect  speci- 
men known  to  have  existed  in  1700  ;  and  in  the  same  place, 
in  the  year  1847,  during  the  meeting  of  the  British  Association, 
were  gathered  together  the  whole  of  the  existing  remains  from 
every  country. 

In  the  travels  of  Sir  T.  Hubert,  in  the  year  1627,  are 
several  accounts.  From  the  work  of  this  traveller,  whose 
P 


338  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

amusement  it  was  to  re-write  his  travels,  each  time  completely 
changing  the  language  but  retaining  the  matter,  an  extract  is 
taken. 

"  The  DODO,  a  bird  the  Dutch  call  Walghvogel,  or  Dod 
Eersen ;  her  body  is  round  and  fat,  which  occasions  the  slow 
pace,  or  that  her  corpulencie,  and  so  great  as  few  of  them 
weigh  less  than  fifty  pound :  meat  it  is  with  some,  but  better 
to  the  eye  than  stomach,  such  as  only  a  strong  appetite  can 
vanquish.  .  .  It  is  of  a  melancholy  visage,  as  sensible  of  nature's 
injury  in  framing  so  massie  a  body  to  be  directed  by  com- 
plemental  wings,  such,  indeed,  as  are  unable  to 
hoise  her  from  the  ground,  serving  only  to  rank 
her  among  birds.  Her  traine,  three  small  plumes, 
short  and  improportionable,  her  legs  suiting  to 
her  body,  her  pounces  sharpe,  her  appetite  strong 
and  greedy.  Stones  and  iron  are  digested,  which 
description  will  better  be  conceived  in  her  repre- 
sentation." The  "  representation  "  here  alluded  to 
f^  DODO,  is  that  of  a  globular-shaped  bird,  perfectly  naked, 
with  the  exception  of  three  separate  feathers  on  the 
tail,  and  a  few  feathers  on  the  wing.  The  expression  of  lugu- 
brious wisdom  on  the  countenance  is  irresistibly  ludicrous. 

It  is  still  within  the  range  of  possibility  that  this  bird 
should  again  be  discovered,  as  at  present  but  little  of  Mada- 
gascar has  been  searched,  and  in  that  island,  if  any  where,  it 
will  be  found. 

Another  bird,  the  gigantic  Dinornis,  has  been  extirpated 
from  the  face  of  the  earth  by  man.  This  enormous  bird, 
whose  leg  is  rather  larger  than  that  of  a  fossil  elk,  and  whose 
head  could  not  have  been  less  than  ten  feet  and  a  half  from 
the  ground,  was  at  one  time  an  inhabitant  of  New  Zealand,  but 
has  been  extirpated  for  many  years,  a  fate  likely  to  befal  the 
defenceless  Apteryx.  In  the  Anatomical  Museum  at  Oxford 
is  a  cast  of  the  leg  of  the  Dinornis,  standing  side  by  side  with 
that  of  an  ostrich.  The  leg  of  the  ostrich  is  quite  insignificant 
by  the  side  of  the  enormous  cast. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d,  Otince.—{Gr.  'Crtf,  a  Bustard.) 
OTUS. 


Tarda  (Lat.  slow),  the  Great  Bustard. 

The  GREAT  BUSTARD,  our  English  representative  of  the  Otidse, 
is  now  scarcely  ever  seen  in  this  country,  although  formerly  it 
was  tolerably  common.  It  runs  with  great  swiftness,  and  will 
never  rise  on  the  wing  until  forced,  so  that  instances  have  been 
known  of  bustards  being  captured  by  greyhounds.  It  is  ex- 
ceedingly wary,  and  can  hardly  be  approached  within  gun-shot, 
except  by  adopting  some  disguise,  as  a  labourer  with  the  gun 
in  his  wheelbarrow,  or  by  driving  a  cart  or  a  carriage  by  the 
spot  where  it  is  feeding. 

The  male  Bustard  possesses  a  membranous  pouch  on  the 
fore  part  of  the  neck,  capable  of  holding  six  or  seven  pints  of 
water.  There  is  an  opening  to  this  pouch  under  the  tongue, 
and  its  use  is  possibly,  like  that  of  the  pelican,  to  carry  water 
for  the  use  of  the  young,  but  this  is  not  ascertained.  The 


340  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

length  of  the  bird  is  rather  more  than*  three  feet.  Its  nest  is 
a  loose  heap  of  straws  on  the  ground,  and  contains  two  pale 
brown  eggs,  spotted  with  brown,  rather  larger  than  those  of  the 
turkey. 

Order  VII.  .   GRALL^.— <Lat.  Stilted  Birds.) 
Family  I.  .  .  Charadridse. 
Sub  family  c.   Ch  aradrince. 
VANELLUS. 


Cristatus  (Lat.  crested),  the  Lapwing  or  Peewt. 

The  PLOVERS  are  known  by  their  long  legs,  short  toes,  and 
long  and  powerful  wings.  Many  are  inhabitants  of  England, 
of  which  the  Lapwing  and  Golden  Plover  are  the  most 
common. 

The  LAPWING,  or  PEEWIT,  is  very  common  in  most  parts  of 
England,  and  is  well  known  for  its  plaintive  cry,  and  the 
stratagems  it  employs  to  decoy  intruders  away  from  its  nest, 
or  rather  eggs,  for  nest  it  has  none.  Frequently,  however, 
the  attempts  of  the  bird  only  draw  the  attention  of  the  passer- 
by to  the  necessary  vicinity  of  the  eggs.  These  eggs  are  dark 
brown,  blotched  with  black,  and  are  hardly  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  soil  where  they  are  laid.  If  an  intruder  approach 
them,  the  bird  glides  before  him,  and  flutters  along,  drooping 
her  wings,  as  if  wounded,  invariably  endeavouring  to  lead 
him  away  from  her  nest.  When  it  has  succeeded  in 
decoying  away  the  intruder,  it  suddenly  mounts  in  the  air, 
uttering  its  cry  of  pee-weet,  leaving  its  pursuer  to  gaze  with 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


341 


astonishment  at  the  escaping  bird.  When  flying,  the  black  and 
white  colours  of  its  plumage  make  it  very  conspicuous.  On  the 
head  of  the  bird  is  a  kind  of  crest. 


Family  II.  ...  Ardeidse. — (Lat  Ardea,  a  Heron.     Heron-kind.) 
Sub-family  6. . .  Gruinoe. 

GRUS. — (Lat.  a  Crane.) 


Cinerga  (Lat  ashy),  the  Crane. 

The  COMMON  CRANE  is  now  but  rarely  seen  on  our  shores, 
although  formerly  as  common  as  was  the  bustard.  It  flies  at 
so  great  a  height,  that  although  its  hoarse  cry  is  audible,  the 
bird  itself  is  far  out  of  the  reach  of  sight.  It  generally  feeds  on 
snails,  frogs,  and  worms,  but  is  not  by  any  means  averse  to  new- 
ly sown  grain.  The  nest  is  made  among  reeds  and  rushes,  and 
contains  two  bluish  green  eggs,  marked  with  brown.  -The 
length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  four  feet. 


342  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  c.  .  Ardeince. 

AEDEA. 


Cinerea,  the  Heron.  • 

The  HERON,  or  HERNE,  is  a  bird  renowned  in  the  noble 
science  of  falconry,  and  respecting  which  much  curious  know- 
ledge is  to  be  gained  from  the  work  of  Dame  Juliana  Berners, 
a  book  of  most  amusingly  quaint  language.  The  Common 
Heron  generally  breeds  in  numbers,  like  the  rook ;  indeed, 
these  two  birds  frequently  inhabit  contiguous  trees,  but  never 
interfere  with  each  other.  In  the  dawn  of  the  early  morning, 
or  while  the  moon  casts  an  uncertain  light,  the  Heron  may  be 
seen  standing  in  the  shallow  water,  stiff  and  motionless,  and 
by  the  faint  light  may  be  mistaken  for  a  stump  of  a  tree. 
But  his  eye  is  keenly  directed  on  the  water,  and  no  sooner 
does  a  fish  approach,  than  a  dart  of  his  unerring  bill  secures 
it,  and  the  Heron  soars  exultingly  to  his  nest,  bearing  his 


-NATURAL  HISTORY.  343 

prey  with  him.  The  fixed  patience  that  the  Heron  displays 
has  caused  it  to  be  chosen  as  the  emblem  of  Solitude. 

The  plumes  of  the  Heron  were  formerly  considered  as 
ornaments  only  to  be  worn  by  the  noble.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  sight  to  see  this  splendid  bird  slowly  winnowing 
his  way  through  the  air,  when  suddenly  a  magpie,  or  a  crow, 
gives  the  alarm,  and  the  poor  bird  is  instantly  beset  by  its 
annoying  enemies,  especially  the  crows,  who  resent  the  Heron's 
approach  to  their  own  residence,  and  frequently  drive  him  away. 

The  nest  of  the  Heron  is  a  flat  mass  of  sticks,  laid  on  the 
highest  branches  of  a  tree,  and  contains  five  bluish  green 
eggs.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  about  three  feet. 

An  old  name  of  this  bird  was  the  Herne,  or  Hernshaw, 
from  which  was  derived  the  saying,  "  He  does  not  know 
a  Hawk  from  a  Hernshaw."  The  last  word  has  been  cor- 
rupted into  "handsaw,"  and  of  course  renders  the  proverb 
most  unmeaning. 


THE    BITTERK 

•- 

The  beautiful  BITTERN  has  been  almost  banished  from  this 
country,  although  formerly  common.  It  frequents  morasses, 
and  dense  beds  of  reeds,  where  it  lies  concealed  until  the 
evening,  when  it  leaves  its  rushy  bed  and  soars  to  a  vast 
height,  continually  uttering  its  sepulchral  booming  cry.  This 
singular  sound  is  not  unlike  the  deep  bellowing  of  a  bull,  and 
is  most  startling  in  its  effect.  It  was  one  of  the  birds  chiefly 
sought  after  in  falconry,  as  the  stout  defence  it  makes  against 
its  enemies,  by  darting  its  sharp  and  powerful  beak  at  them, 
and  beating  violently  with  its  feet,  renders  it  by  no  means  an 
easy  prey.  For  this  reason  the  falconer's  first  care,  on  reach- 
ing the  Bittern  when  brought  to  the  ground  by  his  falcon, 
was  to  secure  its  head,  and  by  fixing  its  bill  deep  in  the  earth, 
to  save  his  eyes  from  the  rapid  and  well-aimed  blows  of  the 
wounded  bird.  The  falcon  also  was'  in  danger  of  being  trans- 
fixed by  the  sharp  beak  of  his  victim. 

The  plumage  of  this  beautiful  bird  is  a  rich  reddish-yellow 
ground,  boldly  variegated  with  various  black  marks,  which  are 
most  conspicuous  in  the  loose,  long  feathers  that  decorate 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Stellaris  (Lat.  starry),  the  Bittern. 

its  neck.  In  size,  it  is  a  little  less  than  the  heron.  It  feeds 
principally  on  small  reptiles,  field  mice,  and  fish.  Its  nest 
is  built  on  some  slight  elevation  in  a  morass,  and  contains  five 
bluish  green  eggs. 


THE    WHITE   SPOONBILL. 

The  COMMON  SPOONBILL  is  found  in  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa,  and  frequents  Holland,  together  with  the  stork.  The 
strange  shape  of  the  tip  of  its  beak  has  gained  it  the  name 
of  Spoonbill.  It  has  rarely  been  taken  in  this  country.  It 
feeds  on  worms,  snails,  and  water  plants,  searching  for  the 
latter  by  agitating  the  water  with  its  broad  beak. 

The  nest  of  the  White  Spoonbill  is  sometimes  placed  in 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

PLATALEA. (Lat. ) 


Leucorodia  (Gr.  bevKopotiov,  a  white  rose),  the  White  Spoonbill. 

trees,  and  sometimes  amid  rushes.  It  contains  three  whitish 
eggs,  slightly  spotted  with  red.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  not 
quite  three  feet. 


THE    STORK. 

The  STORK  is  extensively  found  throughout  Europe,  Asia, 
and  Africa.  In  Holland  storks  are  very  abundant,  and  are 
encouraged  by  the  Dutch  to  build  in  their  towns.  Among 
the  ruins  of  Persepolis  they  are  very  common,  scarcely  one 
pillar  being  without  a  stork's  nest  at  the  summit.  In 
Holland  a  kind  of  false  chimney  is  built  by  the  inhabitants 
for  these  birds  to  make  their  nests  in.  When  the  Stork 
cannot  find  a  building  on  which  to  make  its  nest,  it  chooses 
the  flat  spreading  branches  of  a  cedar  or  pine,  and  there 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.  . . .  Ciconince. 
CICONIA.— (Lat.  a  Stork.) 


Alba  (Lat.  white),  the  Stork. 

collects  a  large  mass  of  sticks  and  twigs,  on  which  it  lays 
from  three  to  five  whitish  eggs.  When  disturbed,  the  birds 
make  a  great  clattering  with  their  bills.  The  draining  of  our 
morasses  seems  to  have  driven  the  Stork  completely  out  of 
this  country,  where  it  was  formerly  tolerably  common.  The 
food  of  this  bird  consists  of  rats,  mice,  frogs,  &c.,  and  it  is  for 
the  benefits  it  confers  upon  man  by  devouring  these  vermin 
that  it  is  so  carefully  protected  and  encouraged,  especially  in 
the  East,  where  the  inhabitants  do  not  trouble  themselves  by 
removing  carrion  or  offal,  but  leave  that  office  to  the  vultures, 
hyenas,  and  others  scavengers  of  nature.  The  height  of  the 
Stork  is  nearly  four  feet. 

The  Adjutant  of  India,  which  is  so  useful  in  devouring  offal 
and  vermin,  is  one  of  the  Stork  tribe.  In  the  crop  of  one  of 
these  birds  was  found  a  land  tortoise,  ten  inches  long,  and 
"  a  large  black  male  cat,  entire." 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


347 


Sub-family/  .  Tantalincp. 
IBM.— (Gr.  'I/3tf.) 


Religiosa  (Lat.  sacred),  the  Sacred  Ibis. 

The  SACRED  IBIS  inhabits  Egypt,  but  does  not  seem  to  breed 
there.  This  is  the  bird  so.  frequently  depicted  in  the  hiero- 
glyphics as  playing  a  conspicuous  part  in  religious  ceremonies. 
Their  mummies  are  constantly  found  in  the  tombs,  and  in  one 
of  these  mummies  Cuvier  discovered  remnants  of  skin,  and  scales 
of  snakes.  The  Sacred  Ibis  is  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary 
fowl. 


348  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family  III ...  Scolopacidse. — (Gr.  2/toAoTraf,  a  Woodcock.     "Wood- 
cock-kind.) 
Sub-family  a. .  Limosince. 

CRACTICORNIS. — (Gr.  Kpa«r</c6?,  clamorous;  opvif,  a  bird.) 


Arquatus  (Lai  arched),  the  Curlew. 


The  CURLEW  or  WHATJP  is  often  found  in  the  northern  parts 
of  England  and  Scotland,  and  is  spread  over  the  whole  of  the 
Old  World,  from  South  Africa  to  the  polar  regions.  In  winter 
it  collects  in  large  flocks  at  the  muddy  shores  of  the  sea,  where 
its  long  curved  bill  can  easily  penetrate  in  search  of  food.  It 
is  an  exceedingly  shy  bird,  and  difficult  to  approach  within 
gunshot. 

Its  nest  is  composed  of  grass  and  rushes,  collected  under  the 
shelter  of  a  tuft  of  heath  or  grass,  and  contains  four  greenish 
olive  eggs  blotched  with  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird  slightly 
exceeds  two  feet. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  340 

Sub-family  c.  Recurvirostrince. 
RECURVIROSTRA. — (Lat.  with  bill  curved  upwards.) 


Avocetta,  the  Avocet. 

The  bill  in  the  genus  Recurvirostra  is  exactly  the  reverse 
of  that  in  the  genus  Numenius,  the  curve  being  upwards  in- 
stead of  downwards.  The  common  AVOCET  is  spread  through- 
out the  warmer  regions  of  Europe,  and  is  also  found  in  some 
parts  of  Africa.  It  is  very  common  in  Holland,  and  is  frequent- 
ly seen  on  the  eastern  coasts  of  England,  but  seldom  visits 
Scotland.  It  frequents  marshes  and  the  mouths  of  rivers, 
where  it  finds  in  the  mud  myriads  of  the  small  worms  and 
insects  on  which  it  feeds,  and  which  it  obtains  by  scooping 
them  up  from  the  mud  with  its  curious  curved  bill.  It  is  a 
good  swimmer,  but  seldom  has  recourse  to  that  art  except 
when  it  wades  unexpectedly  out  of  its  depth. 

The  eggs  of  the  Avocet  are  laid  on  the  ground,  in  a  de- 
pression sheltered  by  a  tuft  of  herbage.  Their  colour  is  a 
bluish  green,  spotted  with  black.  The  birds  when  disturbed 
at  their  nests  feign  lameness,  like  the  lapwing,  in  order  to 
draw  the  intruder  to  a  distance.  The  length  of  the  bird  is 
eighteen  inches. 

The  curious  Stilt  Plover  belongs  to  the  Avocets. 


350  NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Siib-family  d.  Scolopacince, 


Rusticola  (Lat.  fond  of  the  country),  the  Woodcock. 

The  WOODCOCK  is  a  native  of  the  northern  parts  of  Europe 
and  Asia,  and  is  common  in  this  country,  but  rarely  has  heen 
known  to  hreed  here.  It  generally  reaches  England  at  the 
beginning  of  October,  and  leaves  us  in  March  or  April,  at 
which  time  its  flesh  loses  the  delicacy  that  characterises  it, 
and  becomes  coarse  and  valueless.  The  Woodcock  frequents 
dense  thickets  during  the  day,  but  at  night  it  leaves  these  re- 
treats, and  visits  the  swamps  and  flooded  meadows,  where  it 
finds  a  sufficiency  of  worms  and  insects. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  a  loose  mass  of  grass  and  leaves, 
gathered  together  in  some  sheltered  depression.  The  eggs  are 
four  in  number,  of  a  yellowish  brown,  blotched  with  dark 
brown  and  grey. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  351 

NUMENIUS. — (Gr. 


Scolopacinus  (Lat.  like  a  Woodcock],  the  Snipe. 

The  SNIPE  is  too  well  known  to  need  description.  In  its 
habits  it  much  resembles  the  woodcock,  excepting  that  it 
breeds  plentifully  in  several  counties  of  England,  Scotland,  and 
and  Ireland.  Its  flight  is  very  singular,  rendering  it  a  difficult 
mark.  The  Jack  Snipe  confines  itself  to  one  spot,  and  cannot 
be  induced  to  leave  it  even  when  fired  upon.  Its  flight  is  fully 
as  perplexing  as  that  of  the  common  Snipe.  Stanley,  in  his 
History  of  Birds,  mentions  "  a  gentleman,  a  very  bad  shot,  who 
having  at  length  succeeded  in  killing  a  Jack  Snipe,  deeply 
lamented  the  loss  of  a  bird  which,  as  he  was  always  sure  of 
finding  it  in  the  same  place,  had  afforded  him  constant  amuse- 
ment during  a  whole  winter." 


THE    RUFF. 

The  RUFF  is  celebrated  for  its  pugnacious  habits  and  the 
singular  change  of  its  plumage  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year. 
Towards  the  breeding  season  a  heautiful  frill  of  long  feathers 
forms  round  the  neck.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  in  hardly 
any  two  of  these  birds  is  the  frill  of  the  same  colour ;  an(l 
more  remarkable,  that  the  frill  of  the  same  bird  is  of  different 
colours  at  different  seasons.  At  the  same  time  that  the  frill 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  e.  Tringince. 
PHILOMACHUS. — (Gr.  ^iAo/io^of,  a  lover  of  battles.) 


Pugnax  (Lat.  quarrelsome),  the  Ruff. 

forms,  the  male  birds  choose  each  for  themselves  a  small  spot, 
on  which  no  other  bird  is  permitted  to  intrude  without  a  severe 
battle  taking  place.  The  females,  called  Reeves,  now  arrive, 
and  their  approach  is  the  signal  for  a  general  melee ;  and  the 
ground  is  soon  denuded  of  grass  by  the  constant  battles. 

The  nest  of  the  Reeve  is  merely  a  slight  depression  in  a  tuft 
of  grass.  The  eggs  are  four  in  number,  of  a  greenish  white 
blotched  with  reddish  brown. 

Great  numbers  of  these  birds  are  annually  sent  to  the  London 
markets.  Various  precautions  are  taken  to  prevent  their  de- 
structive quarrels  from  taking  place,  as  captivity  in  no  way 
diminishes  their  pugnacity. 

THE    JACANAS. 

The  JACANAS  are  found  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  A"merica.  Their 
light  bodies  and  widely  extended  claws  enable  them  to  walk 
on  the  leaves  of  aquatic  plants  with  equal  ease  and  safety. 
As  their  weight  is  just  sufficient  to  sink  the  leaf  a  little  below 
the  surface,  they  have  all  the  appearance  of  walking  on  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  353 

Family  IV.  .  .  Palamedeidse.— (Gr.  Ua^ufirj,  the  palm  of  the  hand) 
Sub-family  a.  Parrince. 

PABRA. — (Lat.) 


Jacana,  the  Jacana. 

water  itself.  The  common  Jacana  inhabits  the  hotter  parts 
of  South  America,  and  is  abundant  in  Brazil  and  Guiana.  It 
possesses  large  and  sharp  spurs  on  the  wing. 


THE    CORNCRAKE. 

The  CORNCRAKE  or  LANDRAIL  is  very  common  in  England. 
It  reaches  us  at  the  beginning  of  April,  and  leaves  us  at  the 
end  of  October,  after  hatching  its  eggs.  During  the  early  part 
of  the  summer  months  its  harsh  cry  may  be  heard  in  almost 
every  field,  but  the  bird  is  very  seldom  seen,  as  it  threads  its 
way  among  the  long  grass  with  marvellous  rapidity.  Its  cry 


54  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  V.  .  .  Rallida;. 
Sub-family  a.  .  Rallince. 

OETYGOMETKA. — (Gr.  'Oprvyo/z^rpa,  migrating  with  the  Quails ;  the 
Landrail.) 


Crex  (Gr.  Kpe£,  a  Crake ;  derived  from  its  cry),  Corncrake  or  Landrail. 

can  be  so  exactly  imitated  by  drawing  a  quill  sharply  across 
the  teeth  of  a  comb,  that  the  bird  may  be  decoyed  by  the 
sound  until  quite  close  to  the  operator,  The  Corncrake  is  so 
averse  to  rising  on  the  wing,  that  a  dog  is  frequently  employed 
to  hunt  it.  The  young  when  taken  feign  death  with  admirable 
accuracy,  nor  do  they  move  until  they  imagine  that  the  in- 
truder is  safely  out  of  the  way. 

The  nest  of  the  Corncrake  is  by  no  means  uncommon.  It 
is  formed  of  hay,  collected  and  worked  into  some  depression 
in  the  ground,  and  contains  from  eight  to  twelve  eggs  of  a 
greyish  yellow,  covered  with  dark  brown  spots.  The  length 
of  the  bird  is  about  nine  inches. 


THE    WATER-HEN. 

The  WATEII-HEN,  or  MOOR-HEN,  is  very  common  along  the 
reedy  banks  of  rivers  and  ponds.  It  is  very  widely  distributed, 
being  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  old  world.  It  swims 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  355 

Sub-family  b.   Gallinulince. 
G  ALLINULA.  — CLat. ) 


Chloropus  (Gr.  XAwpo? ,  green ;  novf,  a  foot),  the  Water-hen. 

very  gracefully,  constantly  nodding  its  head,  and  dives  with 
great  skill  and  rapidity,  particularly  when  alarmed,  in  which 
case  it  generally  dives  under  some  floating  herbage,  and  re- 
mains there  with  merely  its  heak  ahove  the  water  until  the 
danger  is  passed.  On  account  of  this  habit  it  is  almost  useless 
to  shoot  this  bird  unless  accompanied  by  a  dog,  for  if  it  is  not 
shot  dead  it  instantly  dives,  and  nothing  but  a  dog  can  dis- 
cover its  retreat.  It  runs  on  land  with  considerable  activity, 
constantly  flirting  up  its  tail  so  as  to  show  the  white  feathers 
beneath,  and  when  alarmed,  instantly  makes  for  the  water. 

The  nest  of  the  Water-hen  is  built  among  sedges  and  reeds 
at  the  water  side,  and  contains  from  five  to  eight  or  nine  eggs 
of  a  cream  yellow,  spotted  with  dark  brown,  When  the  Water- 
hen  leaves  her  nest,  she  covers  the  eggs  with  dried  grass  and 
reeds,  so  as  completely  to  conceal  them,  apparently  lest  the 
rats  should  discover  them.  The  young  when  hatched  look 
like  round  tufts  of  black  down.  They  swim  and  dive  well,  fol- 
lowing their  parent  with  great  address.  The  pike  is  their  chief 
enemy,  and  destroys  numbers  by  darting  at  them  from  under 
the  cover  of  water-lilies  or  other  plants. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
FULICA. — (Lat.) 


Atra  (Lat.  black),  the  Coot. 

The  COOT  much  resembles  the  water-hen  in  its  habits.  It 
is  usually  found  in  large  sheets  of  water,  particularly  if  shel- 
tered by  trees.  The  nest  is  a  huge  mass  of  flags,  reeds,  and 
grass,  usually  at  the  water's  edge,  but  sometimes  actually  in 
the  water.*  In  the  nest  are  from  seven  to  ten  greenish  white 
eggs,  spotted  with  brown. 


THE    FLAMINGO. 

The  FLAMINGO  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  warmer  parts  of 
Europe,  and  is  common  in  Asia  and  the  coasts  of  Africa.  The 
singularly  shaped  beak  of  this  splendid  bird  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  its  long  and  flexible  neck.  When  the  bird  wishes 
to  feed,  it  merely  stoops  its  head  to  the  water ;  the  upper 
mandible  is  then  lowest,  and  is  well  fitted  to  receive  the 
nutritive  substances  which  are  entangled  in  a  filter  placed  on 
the  edges  of  the  beak,  much  resembling  the  analogous  apparatus 
of  the  whale. 

The  Flamingo  frequents  marshes,  lakes,  and  mouths  of 
rivers,  bidding  defiance  to  the  pestilent  exhalations  that  drive 

*  In  1849  I  took  five  Coots'  eggs  from  a  nest  situated  at  the  Reservoir  near  Swin- 
don.  The  nest  was  nearly  fifty  yards  from  the  bank,  and  was  made  on  a  very  small 
sunken  hillock,  in  three  feet  water. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  31 

Order  VIII. .  .  ANSJSRE8.—(lMt.  Geese.) 

Family  I Anatidse.— (Lat.  Ana*,  a  Duck.     Duck-kind.) 

Sub-family  a. .  Phcenicopterince. 
PHCENICOPTKROS. — (Gr.  QoivinoirTepoc;,  red-winged;  the  Flamingo.) 


Rubra  (Lat.  red),  the  Flamingo. 

man  far  from  their  haunts.  The  colour  of  their  plumage  is 
a  deep  brilliant  scarlet,  except  the  quill  feathers,  which  are 
black.  When  a  flock  of  these  birds  stands  ranged  in  a  line, 
according  to  their  custom,  they  present  the  appearance  of  a 
small  and  well-drilled  body  of  soldiers,  but  are  far  more 


358 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


dangerous  to  approach  than  the  most  formidable  army,  for 
the  miasma  of  the  marshes  has  a  more  deadly  aim  than  the 
rifle,  and  its  breath  is  more  certainly  fatal  than  the  bullet. 

The  nest  of  the  Flamingo  is  a  curious  conical  structure  of 
mud,  with  a  cavity  at  the  summit,  in  which  are  placed  two  or 
three  whitish  eggs.  "When  the  female  bird  sits  on  the  nest, 
her  feet  rest  on  the  ground,  or  hang  into  the  water.  The 
height  of  the  bird  is  between  five  and  six  feet. 


Sub-family  c.  Anserince. 

BERNICLA. 


• :  < 


Leucopsis  (Gr.  Acv/cof,  white ;  ety>,  a  face),  the  Bernicle  Goose. 

The  BERNICLE  GOOSE  inhabits  the  northern  parts  of  Europe 
and  America,  but  during  the  winter  it  resorts  to  our  shores 
in  great  numbers.  It  is  an  extremely  shy  bird,  and  cannot 
be  approached  without  the  greatest  caution  and  skill.  Of  the 
origin  of  this  bird  most  absurd  tales  have  been  told.  All 
agreed  that  it  was  produced  from  a  tree,  but  the  latest  and 
most  approved  account  was  that  of  Gerard,  who  in  1636 
wrote  as  follows  : — "  But  what  our  eyes  have  seen,  arid  hands 
have  touched,  we  shall  declare.  There  is  a  small  island  in 
Lancashire  called  the  Pile  of  Foulders,  wherein  are  found  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  359 

broken  pieces  of  old  and  bruised  ships,  some  whereof  have 
been  cast  thither  by  shipwracke,  and  also  the  trunks  and 
bodies  with  the  branches  of  old  and  rotten  trees,  cast  up  there 
likewise ;  wherein  is  found  a  certain  spume  or  froth,  that  in 
time  breedeth  into  certaine  shels,  in  shape  like  those  of  the 
muskle,  but  sharper  pointed,  and  of  a  whitish  colour ;  one  end 
whereof  is  fastened  into  the  inside  of  the  shell,  even  as  the 
fish  of  oisters  and  muskles,  the  other  end  is  made  fast  unto 
the  belly  of  a  rude  masse  or  lumpe,  which  in  time  commeth 
to  the  shape  and  form  of  a  bird :  when  it  is  perfectly  formed 
the  shell  gapeth  open,  and  the  first  thing  that  appeareth  is  the 
foresaid  lace  or  string ;  next  come  the  legs  of  the  bird  hanging 
out,  and  as  it  groweth  greater  it  openeth  the  shell  by  degrees, 
till  at  length  it  is  all  come  forth  and  hangeth  only  by  the 
bill :  in  short  space  after  it  commeth  to  full  maturitie,  and 
falleth  into  the  sea,  where  it  gathereth  feathers,  and  groweth 
to  a  fowle." 

Of  the  TAME  GOOSE,  Anser  ferus,  nothing  need  be  said, 
except  that  enormous  flocks  are  bred  in  Lincolnshire,  con- 
taining from  two  to  ten  thousand  birds  each.  The  birds  are 
periodically  subjected  to  the  operation  of  plucking  out  the 
quill-feathers,  in  order  to  supply  the  vast  demand  for  pens,  &c. 


THE    SWAN. 

The  MUTE  or  TAME  SWAN,  a  well-known  ornament  to  our 
lakes  and  rivers,  is  not  an  inhabitant  of  England,  but  was  in- 
troduced from  Eastern  Europe  and  Asia,  several  hundred  years 
back.  All  are  familiar  with  the  graceful  deportment  of  this 
bird  while  sailing  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  Unfortunately 
its  progress  on  land  by  no  means  corresponds  with  its  aquatic 
grace,  being  confined  to  an  awkward  waddle. 

The  female  Swan  makes  its  nest  of  a  great  mass  of  dry  reeds 
placed  among  osiers  or  rushes  near  the  water,  and  lays  six  or 
eight  large  white  eggs.  During  the  time  of  incubation,  and 
while  the  young  are  still  small,  the  parent  birds  defend  them 
with  great  assiduity  and  courage. 

Several  large  Swanneries  are  still  in  existence.     The  Crown, 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.  Cygnince. 
CYGNTJS. — (Lat.  a  Swan.) 


Olor  (Lat.  a  Swan),  the  Mute  Swan. 

and  the  Dyers'  and  Vintners'  Companies  own  the  greater  part  of 
the  swans  on  the  Thames,  and  their  swans  are  annually  mark- 
ed on  the  bills  by  men  termed  Swan-uppers,  or  hoppers.  The 
mark  of  the  Vintners'  Company  is  a  notch  or  nick  at  each  side 
of  the  bill,  from  which  arose  the  term,  "  swans  with  two  nicks," 
corrupted  into  "  necks." 

The  WHISTLING  SWAN,  or  HOOPER  ( Cygnus  ferus),  resides 
during  summer  within,  the  Arctic  circle,  but  in  winter  visits 
the  northern  parts  of  Europe,  including  England.  It  migrates 
in  flocks  of  various  numbers,  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  wedge. 
The  down  of  this  bird  is  very  valuable,  and  is  sought  after  by 
the  Icelanders,  who  choose  the  time  when  the  birds  have  shed 
their  quill-feathers  and  are  unable  to  fly,  to  chase  them  with 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  361 

dogs.  The  Whistling  Swan  wants  the  grace  that  character- 
izes the  Tame  Swan  ;  its  neck  is  carried  upright,  without  the 
elegant  arch  of  its  domesticated  relative.  It  is  not  quite  so 
large  as  the  Tame  Swan ;  the  expanse  of  its  wings  is  about 
eight  feet. 

CHENOPIS. — (Gr.  XT?'?-,  a  Ooose ;  wi/>,  a  face.) 


Atrata  (Lat.  blackened),  the  Black  Swart. 

"  Like  a  Black  Swan,"  was  formerly  a  well  known  proverb, 
analogous  to  the  Horse  Marines  of  the  present  day  :  unfortu- 
nately for  the  proverb,  a  swan  has  been  discovered  in  Australia, 
the  whole  of  whose  plumage  is  a  jetty  black,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  quill  feathers,  which  are  white.  It  has  been  domes- 
ticated in  this  country,  and  may  be  seen  in  St.  James'  Park, 
eagerly  seeking  after  the  crumbs  offered  by  juvenile  hands.  It 
is  rather  smaller  than  the  Whistling  Swan. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  e.  Anatince. 


Boschas  (Gr.  Bovnag,  a  Mallard,  from  POCKTI,  pasture*),  the  Mallard. 

The  MALLARD  or  WILD  DUCK  is  the  origin  of  our  domestic 
bird,  and  is  widely  spread  over  the  northern  parts  of  Europe, 
Asia,  and  America.  In  the  winter  it  migrates  in  countless 
flocks,  many  reaching  this  country.  In  Lincolnshire  incredi- 
ble numbers  of  these  birds  are  taken  in  a  very  ingenious  trap, 
called  a  decoy.  It  is  a  perfect  edifice  of  poles  and  nets,  and 
is  built  in  the  form  of  a  tube,  very  wide  at  the  mouth,  and 
very  narrow  at  the  extremity.  The  ducks  are  induced  to 
enter  the  "  pipe"  by  the  antics  of  a  dog,  and  by  some  hemp- 
seed  previously  strewn  on  the  water.-  They  are  then  driven 
onwards  to  the  smaller  end,  where  they  are  caught  and  killed. 

Wilson,  in  his  American  Ornithology,  gives  the  following 
account  of  the  method  of  catching  wild  ducks  practised  in 
America. 

"  In  some  ponds  frequented  by  these  birds,  five  or  six 
wooden  figures,  cut  and  painted  so  as  to  represent  ducks,  and 
sunk  by  pieces  of  lead  nailed  on  their  bottoms  so  as  to  float 
at  the  usual  depth  on  the  surface,  are  anchored  in  a  favourable 
position  for  being  raked  from  a  concealment  of  brush,  &c.  on 

*  The  keeper  of  a  decoy  in  Lincolnshire  mentioned  that  "  the  Mallard,  Pintail,  and 
Teal  frequent  rich  flooded  lands,  swittering  with  their  nebs  (beaks)  in  the  soil,  and 
sucking  out  all  its  strength;  but  the  Wigeon  is  an  amazing  fowl  to  graze,  and  a 
strange  eater  of  grass  " — RICHARDSON 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  363 

shore.  The  appearance  of  these  usually  attracts  passing  flocks, 
which  alight,  and  are  shot  down.  Sometimes  eight  or  ten  of 
these  painted  wooden  ducks  are  fixed  on  a  frame  in  various 
swimming  postures,  and  secured  to  the  bow  of  the  gunner's 
skifF,  projecting  before  it  in  such  a  way  that  the  weight  of  the 
frame  sinks  the  figures  to  their  proper  depth ;  the  skiff  is 
then  dressed  with  sedge  or  coarse  grass,  in  an  artful  manner, 
as  low  as  the  water's  edge  ;  and  under  cover  of  this,  which 
appears  like  a  party  of  ducks  swimming  by  a  small  island,  the 
gunner  floats  down  sometimes  to  the  very  skirt  of  a  whole 
congregated  multitude,  and  pours  in  a  destructive  and  re- 
peated fire  of  shot  among  them.  In  whiter,  when  detached 
pieces  of  ice  are  occasionally  floating  in  the  river,  some  of  the 
gunners  on  the  Delaware  paint  their  whole  skiff  or  canoe 
white,  and  laying  themselves  flat  at  the  bottom,  with  their 
hand  over  the  side  silently  managing  a  small  paddle,  direct  it 
imperceptibly  into  or  near  a  flock  before  the  ducks  have  dis- 
tinguished it  from  a  floating  mass  of  ice,  and  generally  do 
great  execution  among  them.  A  whole  flock  has  sometimes 
been  thus  surprised  asleep  with  their  heads  under  their 
wings."* 

The  Tame  Duck  is  so  well  known  as  to  need  no  description. 
The  manner  in  which  it  fights  the  cock  is  highly  amusing, 
and  but  little  known.  It  frequently  happens  while  the  fowls 
are  being  fed,  that  the  duck  runs  among  them,  and  by  his 
larger  beak,  gobbles  up  an  undue  share  of  the  provisions. 
This  the  cock  resents  by  giving  him  a  peck.  The  duck  takes 
no  notice,  but  gets  behind  the  cock,  deals  him  a  hard  peck, 
and  looks  innocent.  The  cock  jumps  round,  but  sees  nothing 
Presently  another  hard  peck  comes,  and  he  is  very  angry. 
A  third  peck — but  this  time  the  cock  sees  his  enemy,  and 
rushes  at  him  furiously.  Down  flops  the  duck  on  the  ground, 
and  lets  the  cock  pass  over  him.  After  running  over  him 
once  or  twice,  and  then  jumping  on  him,  the  cock  is  persuaded 
that  his  enemy  is  quite  dead,  and  walks  off  on  the  tips  of  his 
toes.  Presently  the  duck  first  opens  one  eye  and  then  the  other, 
gets  up  and  quietly  pecks  the  cock  again.  The  same  ma- 
no3uvres  are  repeated,  until  at  last  the  duck  wins,  like  Fabius, 
by  delay,  and  drives  his  antagonist  fairly  off  the  field. 

*  Wilson's  Ornithology,  vol.  viii.  p.  114. 


364  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

4 

QtJERQUEDULA. (Lat.) 


Crecca,  the  Teal. 

The  TEAL  is  the  smallest  of  our  ducks.  It  frequently 
breeds  in  England,  mostly  choosing  the  northern  lakes  for  that 
purpose.  Its  flight  is  exceedingly  rapid,  soon  carrying  it  out 
of  the  reach  of  gun-shot.  It  chooses  night  for  its  feeding- 
time,  and  during  the  day  conceals  itself  under  the  herbs  that 
fringe  the  banks  of  the  water  where  it  has  chosen  its  habita- 
tion. Its  nest  is  also  carefully  placed  among  dense  herbage, 
and  contains  from  eight  to  twelve  whitish  eggs. 

The  delicacy  of  its  flesh  is  well  known,  and  it  therefore 
figures  on  most  well-furnished  tables. 


THE   EIDER   DUCK. 

The  EIDER  DUCK  furnishes .  the  celebrated  down  in  such 
request  for  pillows  and  beds.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  the 
down  must,  be  plucked  from  the  bird  when  living,  as  it  seems 
to  lose  its  peculiar  elasticity  and  softness  when  taken  from 
the  bird  after  its  death.  The  down  is  plucked  by  the  bird 
itself  from  its  breast,  for  the  purpose  of  lining  its  nest,  which 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  f.  Fuligulince. 
SOMATEEIA. — (Gr.  Zw^a,  the  body  ;  reipu,  to  wear  away.) 

•      '-^  ..  \- 


Mollissima  (Lat.  very  soft),  the  Eider  Duck. 

ibed  until  the  Eider  is  ra 
n  from  the  male  bird.     It 
of  Europe,  Iceland,  and  the  Hebrides. 


is  then  robbed  until  the  Eider  is  reduced  to  laying  its  eggs 
on  the  down  from  the  male  bird.     It  is  common  in  the  north 


THE    CRESTED    GREBE. 

The  COLYMBID^E  are  remarkable  for  their  powers  of  diving. 
The  legs  are  placed  very  far  behind,  and  the  toes  are  so 
arranged  as  to  fold  up  when  returning  from  the  stroker. 

•The  foot  of  the  GREBES  is  not  webbed  like  that  of  most 
water  birds,  but  each  toe  is  separate  and  flattened  so  as  to 
serve  as  a  separate  paddle,  the  Grebes  dive  so  instantane- 
ously that  it  is  difficult  to  shoot  them,  as  they  dive  at  the 
flash,  and  do  not  reappear  for  nearly  two  hundred  yards,  and 
then  they  merely  raise  their  head  above  water  for  a  second, 
and  again  disappear. 

All  the  Grebes  feed  upon  fishes  and  the  various  water 
insects,  but  their  stomachs  are  almost  invariably  found  to 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family  II.  ...  Colymbidae. — (Gr.  K6Av///3of,  a  Diver.) 
Sub-family  b  .  Podicepince. 

FODICEPS. 


Cristatus  (Lat.  crested),  the  Crested  Grebe. 

contain  a  mass  of  their  own  feathers.  This  circumstance  pre- 
sents a  singular  analogy  to  those  masses  of  compacted  hair  which 
are  often  found  in  the  stomachs  of  cows.  In  all  probability 
the  reason  for  their  presence  is  the  same,  that  the  feathers  and 
hairs  are  accidentally  conveyed  to  the  stomach  after  the  crea- 
ture has  been  making  its  toilet. 

The  CRESTED  GREBE  is  found  in  some  of  the  fens  of  the 
Midland  counties  of  England,  and  also  inhabits  parts  of  Scot- 
land. This  bird,  together  with  the  other  Grebes,  builds  its  nest 
of  a  mass  of  roots  and  reeds,  among  sedges.  The  female,  like 
the  water  hen,  covers  up  her  eggs  when  she  leaves  her  nest, 
which,  unlike  the  nests  of  most  of  the  aquatic  birds,  floats  on 
the  water. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Minor  (Lat.  lesser),  the  Little  Grebe  or  Dabchick. 

The  DABCHICK  or  LITTLE  GREBE  is  very  common  in  most 
parts  of  England,  and  is  spread  over  Europe  and  Asia.  It  is 
easily  alarmed,  and  instantly  dives,  after  which  it  is  of  little  use 
to  look  for  the  bird.  Even  in  a  small  pond  where  tame  Dab- 
chicks  are  kept,  if  they  are  startled  at  anything,  they  all  disap- 
pear as  if  by  magic,  and  reappear  in  the  same  mysterious  man- 
ner. Even  when  confined  in  the  limited  space  of  a  small  pond, 
the  sharpest  eye  cannot  detect  them  as  they  hide  under  floating 
herbage,  or  are  sheltered  by  an  overhanging  bank. 

It  is  easily  domesticated,  and  is  often  seen  placed  as  an  or- 
nament in  lakes,  or  even  in  ponds,  where  it  swims  about  very 
merrily,  and  seems  to  enjoy  playing  a  game  at  hide-and-seek 
with  any  observer  who  is  attempting  to  witch  its  movements. 


368  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  III. . .  Alcidse. 
Sub-family  a.  Alcina. 

FRATEBCULA. — (Lat.) 


Arctica  (Lat.  Arctic),  the  Puffin. 

The  PUFFIN  is  common  at  the  Needles  and  the  western 
islands  of  England.  It  forms  deep  burrows  in  the  soil,  in 
which  one  egg  is  deposited,  or  usurps  the  burrow  of  a  rabbit. 
The  hole  is  generally  from  three  to  four  feet  in  depth,  when 
the  Puffin  is  forced  to  labour  for  itself;  it  usually  takes  a 
winding  course ;  and  the  inhabitant  is  secured  from  surprise 
by  forming  two  entrances,  in  order  that  if  one  entrance  is  at- 
tacked, it  may  escape  by  the  other.  The  egg  is  always  depos- 
ited at  the  furthest  gxtremity  of  the  hole,  and  is  not  easy  to  be 
obtained,  on  account  of  the  vigorous  resistance  made  by  the 
parent  bird.  It  is  an  excellent  diver,  plunging  fearlessly  from 
a  lofty  cliff  into  the  sea,  and  speedily  returning  with  its  beak 
full  of  fish,  which  are  secured  by  their  heads,  and  lie  in  a  row 
along  the  bill  of  the  Puffin,  forming  a  kind  of  piscatorial  fringe. 
Its  enormous  and  sharp-edged  bill  renders  it  a  formidable 
antagonist  to  intruders.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  thirteen 
inches. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Impennis  (Lat.  wingless),  the  Great  Auk. 

The  ALCHXE  or  AUKS  are  never  seen  inland,  but  exclusively 
inhabit  the  sea-shores.  In  this  family  the  wings  are  small, 
and  in  some  genera  useless  for  flight.  The  feet  are  placed  so 
far  back  that  the  birds,  when  sitting,  assume  an  erect  attitude. 

The  GREAT  AUK  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Arctic  circle,  but 
is  sometimes  seen  in  the  northern  islands  of  Scotland.  The 
wings  of  this  bird  are  incapable  of  raising  it  into  the  air,  but 
serve  admirably  as  paddles  when  diving.  It  breeds  princi- 
pally on  the  shores  of  Iceland  and  Spitzbergen,  laying  one 
large  egg  on  a  cleft  of  a  high  rock.  The  eggs  are  extremely 
scarce,  and  fetch  a  very  high  price  among  collectors,  a  circum- 
stance which  has  caused  some  most  ingenious  impositions. 
The  length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  three  feet. 
Q* 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Sub-family  c.  Spheniscince. 
SPHENISCUS. — (Gr.  wedge-shaped.) 


Demersus  (Lat.  submerged),  the  Cape  Penguin. 

The  CAPE  PENGUIN  is  very  common  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  the  Falkland  Islands.  From  the  extraordinary 
sound  it  produces  while  on  shore,  it  is  called  the  Jackass 
Penguin.  Darwin  gives  the  following  interesting  account  of 
this  bird  : — "  In  diving,  its  little  plumeless  wings  are  used  as 
fins,  hut  on  the  land,  as  front  legs.  When  crawling  (it  may 
he  said  on  four  legs)  through  the  tussocks,  or  on  the  side  of 
a  grassy  cliff,  it  moved  so  very  quickly  that,  it  might  readily 
have  been  mistaken  for  a  quadruped.  When  at  sea  and 
fishing,  it  comes  to  the  surface,  for  the  purpose  of  breathing, 
with  such  a  spring,  and  dives  again  so  instantaneously,  that 
I  defy  any  one  at  first  sight  to  be  sure  that  it  is  not  a  fish 
leaping  for  sport." 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  d.   Urince. 
URIA. — (Gr.  Ovpia.) 


V 

Trofle,  the  Guillemot. 

The  COMMON  GUILLEMOT  makes  its  appearance  on  our  coasts 
in  the  beginning  of  spring,  and  inhabits  the  cliffs  overhanging 
the  sea.  Each  female  deposits  one  egg  on  a  naked  ledge  of 
rock,  and  sits  upon  it  with  great  perseverance,  even  suffering 
itself  to  be  taken  by  hand.  The  egg  is  usually  a  pale  green, 
streaked  and  blotched  with  brown,  but  is  very  variable  both 
in  colour  and  markings.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  fifteen 
inches. 


THE   FULMAR   PETREL, 

The  FULMAR  PETREL  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Arctic  circle,  but 
breeds  abundantly  in  St.  Kilda  and  the  Orkneys.  The  inhabit- 
ants of  those  islands  consider  the  Fulmar  as  one  of  their  princi- 
pal means  of  subsistence.  It  lays  one  white  egg,  large  and  brit- 
tle, which  is  imbued  with  the  peculiar  oily  odour  that  charac- 
terises the  bird.  The  food  of  the  Fulmar  consists  of  the  flesh 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  IV.  .  Procellaridse. 
Sub-family  a.  Procellarince. 
PROCELLARIA. — (Lat.  stormy.) 


Glacialis  (Lat.  icy),  the  Fulmar  Petrel. 

and  blubber  of  dead  whales  and  other  cetaeea,  and  also  of  mol- 
lusks  and  Crustacea.     The  length  of  the  bird  is  sixteen  inches. 


THALASSIDROHA. — (Gr.  Qdhaaaa,  the  sea;  dpopoc,  a  race.) 


• 
Pelagica  (Lat.  belonging  to  the  sea),  the  Stormy  Petrel. 

The  STORMY  PETREL  is,  under  the  name  of  Mother  Carey's 
chieken,  the  terror  of  the  sailor,  who  always  considers  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  373 

bird  as  the  precursor  of  a  storm.  It  is  the  smallest  of  the 
web-footed  birds.  Few  storms  are  violent  enough  to  keep 
this  curious  little  bird  from  wandering  over  the  waves  in 
search  of  the  food  that  the  disturbed  water  casts  to  the  sur- 
face. Like  the  Fulmar,  the  Stormy  Petrel  is  so  exceedingly 
oily  in  texture,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  Feroe  Islands  draw 
a  wick  through  its  body  and  use  it  as  a  lamp.  Wilson  gives 
the  following  account  of  its  habits  while  following  a  ship  under 
sail : — 

"  It  is  indeed  an  interesting  sight  to  observe  these  little  birds 
in  a  gale,  coursing  over  the  waves,  down  the  declivities,  up  the 
ascents  of  the  foaming  surf  that  threatens  to  bend  over  their 
heads ;  sweeping  along  the  hollow  troughs  of  the  sea,  as  in  a 
sheltered  valley,  and  again  mounting  with  the  rising  billow, 
and  just  above  its  surface,  occasionally  dropping  its  feet,  which, 
striking  the  water,  throws  it  up  again  with  additional  force ; 
sometimes  leaping  with  both  legs  parallel,  on  the  surface  of  the 
roughest  waves  for  several  yards  at  a  time.  Meanwhile  it 
continues  coursing  from  side  to  side  of  the  ship's  wake,  making 
excursions  far  and  wide,  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  now  a 
great  way  ahead,  and  now  shooting  astern  for  several  hundred 
yards,  returning  again  to  the  ship  as  if  she  were  all  the  time 
stationary,  though  perhaps  running  at  the  rate  of  ten  knots 
an  hour !  But  the  most  singular  peculiarity  of  this  bird  is 
its  faculty  of  standing  and  even  running  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  which  it  performs  with  apparent  facility.  When  any 
greasy  matter  is  thrown  overboard,  these  birds  instantly  collect 
round  it,  and  facing  to  windward,  with  their  long  wings  ex- 
panded and  their  webbed  feet  patting  the  water,  the  lightness 
of  their  bodies  and  the  action  of  the  wind  on  their  wings  en- 
able them  to  do  this  with  ease.  In  calm  weather  they  per- 
form the  same  manoBuvre  by  keeping  their  wings  just  so  much 
in  action  as  to  prevent  their  feet  from  sinking  below  the  sur- 
face. According  to  Buffon,  it  is  from  this  singular  habit  that 
the  whole  genus  have  obtained  the  name  Petrel,  from  the 
apostle  Peter,  who,  as  Scripture  informs  us,  also  walked  on  the 
water."* 

*  Wilson's  Ornithology,  vol.  vii.  p.  C2. 


374 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
DIOMEDEA. — (Proper  name.) 


Exulans  (Lat.  banished),  the  Wandering  Albatros. 

The  WANDERING  ALBATROS,  the  largest  of  the  genus,  is  a 
well-known  bird  in  the  southern  seas,  following  ships  for  many 
miles  in  hopes  of  obtaining  the  refuse  thrown  overboard.  So 
voracious  is  the  Albatros,  that  it  will  swallow  entire  a  fish  of 
four  or  five  pounds  weight.  The  flight  of  this  bird  is  peculiar- 
ly majestic.  Its  extreme  length  of  wing  prevents  it  from  rising 
at  once  from  the  ground,  but  when  once  launched  into  the  air, 
it  seems  to  float  and  direct  its  course  without  effort.  Gould  in 
describing  the  flight  of  this  bird  says  : — 

"  The  powers  of  flight  of  the  Wandering  Albatros  are  much 
greater  than  those  of  any  other  bird  that  has  come  under  my 
observation.  Although  during  calm  or  moderate  weather  it 
sometimes  rests  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  it  is  almost 
constantly  on  the  wing,  and  is  equally  at  ease  while  passing 
over  the  glassy  surface  during  the  stillest  calm,  or  sweeping 
with  arrow-like  swiftness  before  the  most  furious  gale ;  and 
the  way  in  which  it  just  tops  the  raging  billows,  and  sweeps 
between  the  gulfy  waves,  has  a  hundred  times  called  forth 
my  wonder  and  admiration.  Although  a  vessel  running 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  375 

before  the  wind  frequently  sails  more  than  200  miles  in  the 
twenty-four  hours,  and  that  for  days  together,  still  the  Alhatros 
has  not  the  slightest  difficulty  in  keeping  up  with  the  ship,  but 
also  performs  circles  of  many  miles  in  extent,  returning  again 
to  hunt  up  the  wake  of  the  vessel  for  any  substances  thrown 
overboard." 

The  voracity  of  the  Albatros  renders  it  an  easy  prey.  A 
hook  is  baited  with  a  piece  of  blubber,  fastened  firmly  to  a 
string,  and  suffered  to  tow  astern.  The  bird  immediately 
sweeps  down  to  seize  its  prey,  arid  is  arrested  by  the  hook,  by 
means  of  which  it  is  drawn  into  the  ship.  The  best  descrip- 
tion of  the  nidification  of  the  wandering  Albatros  is  that  given 
by  Mr.  Earl,  quoted  by  Gould. 

Mr.  Earl  after  climbing  a  fearfully  dangerous  precipice  in  the 
Island  of  Tristan  d'Acunha  arrived  at  a  large  plain  of  dark 
grey  lava,  on  the  summit  of  which  the  nests  of  the  Albatros 
were  made.  "  A  death-like  stillness  prevailed  in  these  high 
regions,  and  to  my  ear  our  voices  had  a  strange  unnatural  echo, 
and  I  fancied  our  forms  appeared  gigantic,  whilst  the  air  was 
piercing  cold.  The  prospect  was  altogether  sublime,  and  filled 
the  mind  with  awe.  The  huge  Albatros  here  appeared  to 
dread  no  interloper  or  enemy  ;  for  their  young  were  on  the 
ground  completely  uncovered,  and  the  old  ones  were  stalking 
around  them.  They  lay  but  one  egg,  on  the  ground,  where  they 
make  a  kind  of  nest  by  scraping  the  earth  around  it ;  the  young 
is  entirely  white,  and  covered  with  a  woolly  down,  which  is 
very  beautiful.  As  we  approached,  they  snapped  their  beaks 
with  a  very  quick  motion,  making  a  great  noise ;  this  and  the 
throwing  up  the  contents  of  the  stomach  are  the  only  means  of 
offence  and  defence  they  seem  to  possess.  I  again  visited  the 
mountain  about  five  months  afterwards,  when  I  found  the  young 
albatroses  still  sitting  on  their  nests,  and  they  had  never  moved 
away  from  them."  The  expanse  of  wing  in  the  Wandering 
Albatros  is  from  eleven  to  fourteen  feet. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  V. ...  Laridse. 
Sub-family  b.  Larince. 
LARUS.— (Lat.  a  Gull.} 


Mantras  (Lat.  belonging  to  the  sea),  the  Slack-backed  Gull. 

The  BLACK-BACKED  GULL  is  a  common  bird  on  our  coasts. 
During  the  winter  it  seeks  the  warmer  coasts  of  southern 
Europe.  It  breeds  in  great  numbers  on  the  shores  of  the 
Bristol  Channel,  the  Orkneys,  and  other  coasts  of  Great 
Britain.  Its  nest  is  composed  of  grass,  rushes,  and  other 
materials,  and  contains  three  or  four  eggs,  of  an  olive  green 
marked  with  very  dark  brown.  Neither  the  gulls  nor  the 
terns  dive,  but  snatch  up  their  prey  when  at  or  near  the 
surface. 


THE    COMMON    TERN. 

The  TERNS  or  SEA-SWALLOWS  are  possessed  of  great  power 
and  endurance  of  flight,  their  long  forked  tails  and  pointed 
wings  indicating  strength  and  swiftness. 

The  Common  Tern  w  found  in  plenty  along  the  southern 
shores  of  Europe,  in  many  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa.  It  is 
frequently  seen  on  the  southern  shores  of  England,  and  has 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  377 

Sub-family  c.  Sternince. 


Hirundo  (Lat.  a  Swallow),  the  Common  Tern. 

been  found  in  North  America.  It  preys  on  fish,  which  it 
snatches  from  the  surface  with  unerring  aim,  as  it  skims  ovei 
the  waves  with  astonishing  velocity. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  made  on  the  sand  above  high- water 
mark,  and  contains  two  or  three  eggs,  on  which  the  female 
usually  sits  by  night.  The  length  of  the  common  Tern  is 
about  fourteen  inches. 

The  Noddy,  so  frequently  celebrated  by  travellers  who  have 
passed  the  equator,  is  a  species  of  Tern. 


THE    TROPIC    BIRD. 

The  TROPIC  BIRD,  as  its  name  imports,  is  seldom  seen  many 
degrees  beyond  the  tropics,  although  a  storm  occasionally  drives 
it  from  its  accustomed  habitat. 

Its  rapid  flight  seems  to  be  accomplished  almost  without 
the  aid  of  wings.  It  preys  extensively  on  the  flying-fish, 
who  frequently  escapes  his  airy  foe  but  to  fall  into  the  jaws 
of  some  rapacious  rover  of  .the  deep.  It  has  been  known  to 


378  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  VI ...  Pelecanidse. — Gr.  He^e/cav,  a  Pelican.    Pelican  kind.) 
Sub-family  b. .  Phaetonince. 

PHAETON. — (Gr.  $ai6u ;  proper  name.) 


^Ethereus  (Lat.  belonging  to  the  sky),  the  Tropic  Bird. 

continue  on  the  wing  for  whole  days  and  nights,  but  some- 
times rests  on  the  back  of  a  turtle  sleeping  at  the  surface  of 
the  water.  The  length  of  the  Tropic  Bird  is  about  eighteen 
inches. 


THE   SOLAN    GOOSE. 

The  GANNET,  or  SOLAN  GOOSE,  is  common  on  some  of  our 
shores,  especially  at  the  Bass  Rock  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Frith  of  Forth.  This  rock  is  literally  covered  with  Gannets, 
and  is  rented  at  a  high  price  from  the  proprietor,  who  makes 
over  to  the  tenant  the  vast  flocks  of  birds  that  take  up  their 
residence  on  the  rock.  Great  numbers  of  Gannets  breed  at 
St.  Kilda,  and  many  are  sent  to  Edinburgh  and  other 
markets. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-family  c.  Pelecanince. 
SULA 


Bassanga  (Lat.  the  Gannet,  or  Solan  Goose.) 

The  Gannet  feeds  almost  entirely  on  herrings,  which  it 
seizes  by  plunging  with  extraordinary  force  from  a  considerable 
height.  This  method  of  procuring  food  has  led  to  an  ingeni- 
ous device  for  capturing  the  bird.  A  herring  is  fastened  to 
a  board,  and  suffered  to  float  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 
The  Gannet,  seeing  the  fish  apparently  sporting  on  the  sur- 
face, plunges  at  it  with  such  force  that  it  is  instantly  killed 
by  the  blow.  A  Gannet  was  once  taken  when  the  board  was 
sunk  to  the  depth  of  six  feet,  yet  even  at  that  depth  the  bird's 
neck  was  dislocated,  and  its  bill  firmly  stuck  into  the  wood. 
The  length  of  the  Gannet  is  about  two  feet  eight  inches. 

The  Booby  is  a  species  of  Gannet.  Sailors  have  given  it 
this  rather  inelegant  name  on  account  of  the  stupidity  it  dis- 
plays in  suffering  itself  to  be  knocked  down  with  a  stick,  or 
even  taken  up  by  hand. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
PHALACKOCOKAX.     (Gr.  4>a/,a«pof,  bald;  /copaf,  a  Raven.) 


Carbo  (Lat.  a  Coal),  the  Cormorant. 

The  CORMORANT  is  found  in  abundance  on  our  coasts,  and 
is  widely  spread  over  many  parts  of  the  world.  It  is  exceed- 
ingly voracious,  and  devours  an  almost  incredible  amount  of 
fish.  It  is  an  excellent  diver,  and  chases  the  fish  actually 
under  the  water,  seldom,  if  ever,  returning  without  having 
secured  its  prey.  Like  the  otter,  when  engaged  in  chase,  it 
occasionally  rises  to  take  breath,  and  then  resumes  the 
pursuit  with  renewed  vigour.  Waterton  gives  the  following 
amusing  description  of  the  proceedings  of  a  Cormorant : — 
"  First  raising  his  body  nearly  perpendicular,  down  he  plunges 
into  the  deep,  and  after  staying  there  a  considerable  time 
he  is  sure  to  bring  up  a  fish,  which  he  invariably  swallows  head 
foremost.  Sometimes  half  an  hour  elapses  before  he  can 
manage  to  accommodate  a  large  eel  quietly  in  his  stomach. 
You  see  him  straining  violently  with  repeated  efforts  to  gulp 
it,  and  when  you  fancy  that  the  slippery  mouthful  is  success- 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  381 

fully  disposed  of,  all  of  a  sudden  the  eel  retrogrades  upwards 
from  its  dismal  sepulchre,  struggling  violently  to  escape. 
The  cormorant  swallows  it  again,  and  up  again  it  comes,  and 
shows  its  tail  a  foot  or  more  out  of  its  destroyer's  mouth.  At 
length,  worn  out  with  perpetual  \rrithings  and  glidings,  the 
eel  is  gulped  down  into  the  cormorant's  stomach  for  the  last 
time,  there  to  meet  its  dreaded  and  inevitable  fate.  This 
gormandising  exhibition  was  witnessed  here  by  several  in- 
dividuals, both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  on  Nov.  26,  1832, 
through  an  excellent  eight-and-twenty  guinea  telescope,  the 
cormorant  being  at  that  time  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
distant  from  the  observers.  I  was  of  the  party." 

The  Cormorant  is  easily  tamed,  and  its  fishing  propensities 
can  be  turned  to  good  account.  The  Chinese,  at  the  present 
day,  employ  a  kind  of  cormorant  for  that  purpose,  having 
previously  placed  a  ring  round  the  bird's  neck,  to  prevent  it 
from  swallowing  the  fish.  The  eggs  of  this  bird  are  usually 
laid  on  the  rock,  but  sometimes  in  the  branches  of  trees.  A  thick 
coat  of  chalk  envelopes  the  eggs,  and  can  be  easily  scraped  off 
with  a  knife.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  about  three  feet. 


THE    WHITE    PELICAN. 

The  WHITE  PELICAN  inhabits  Africa,  India,  and  great  part 
of  the  south-eastern  portions  of  Europe.  It  is  a  very  con- 
spicuous bird,  its  singular  membranous  pouch  offering  a  dis- 
tinction perfectly  unmistakeable.  The  pouch,  when  distend- 
ed, holds  two  gallons  of  water,  but  the  bird  has  the  power 
of  contracting  it  so  that  it  is  scarcely  to  be  discerned.  The 
pouch  also  serves  as  a  net,  in  which  to  scoop  up  the  fish 
on  which  the  Pelican  feeds.*  Another  most  important  use  of 
the  pouch  is  to  convey  food  to  the  young.  The  parent  Peli- 
can presses  the  pouch  against  its  breast,  in  order  to  enable 
the  young  to  obtain  the  fish,  which  action,  in  all  probability, 
gave  rise  to  the  fable  of  the  Pelican  feeding  its  young  with 
its  own  blood.  The  red  tip  of  the  bill  probably  aided  the 
deception. 

*  The  beautiful  Pelicans  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  exhibit  this  pouch  and  its 
uses  admirably. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


PELECANUS. 


OnocrotSlus  (Gr.  'OvoKporaloc),  the  White  Pelican. 

Although  a  web-footed  bird,  the  Pelican,  like  the  cormorant, 
can  perch  on  trees,  although  it  prefers  sitting  on  rocks.  The 
colour  of  this  bird  is  a  pure  white,  with  a  very  slight  tinge  of 
rose  colour,  and  the  pouch  is  yellow.  The  length  of  the  bird 
is  nearly  six  feet. 


THE    FRIGATE    PELICAN. 

The  FRIGATE  PELICAN,  or  MAN-OF-WAR.  BIRD,  is  usually 
found  between  the  tropics.  Although  when  stripped  of  its 
feathers  it  is  hardly  longer  than  a  pigeon,  yet  no  man  can 
touch  at  the  same  time  the  tips  of  its  extended  wings.  The 
long  wing  bones  are  exceedingly  light,  and  the  whole  ap- 
paratus of  air-cells  is  extremely  developed,  so  that  its  real 
weight  is  very  trifling.  It  flies  at  a  great  height  above 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


FREGATA. 


Aqufla  (Lat.  an  Eagle),  the  Frigate  Pelican. 

the  water,  and  from  that  elevation  pounces  down-  on  fish, 
especially  the  poor  persecuted  flying-fish.  According  to 
some  authors,  the  name  of  Mari-of-War  Bird  was  given  to  it 
because  its  appearance  was  said  to  foretel  the  coming  of  a 
ship ;  probahly  because  the  Frigate  Pelican  and  ships  are 
equally  averse  to  storms,  and  both  like  to  come  into  harbour  if 
the  weather  threatens.  Under  the  throat  of  the  Frigate  Pelican 
is  a  large  pouch,  of  a  deep  red  colour,  which  can  be  distended 
with  air  at  the  pleasure  of  the  bird.  The  pouch  is  larger  and 
of  a  more  brilliant  red  in  the  male  than  in  his  consort,  and  the 
general  plumage  of  the  female  is  not  so  bright  as  that  of  the 
male. 

Although  its  swiftness  of  wing  and  general  activity  enable 
it  to  snatch  a  fish  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  to  pounce 
upon  the  flying-fish  before  it  can  again  seek  the  protection 
of  its  native  element,  yet  it  too  often  uses  its  powers  in 
robbing  other  birds  of  their  lawful  prey.  It  is  enabled  in 
some  mysterious  way  to  find  its  way  home  by  night,  even 
though  it  may  be  four  or  five  hundred  miles  from  land. 
The  length  of  the  male  bird  is  three  feet,  and  the  expanse  of 
wing  eight  feet. 


384  NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Class  III. . .  REPTIUA. — (Lat.  Creeping  things.) 

Order  I. ...  SA  UJtA.—(Gr.  Xavpa,  a  Lizard.) 

Sub-order  I.  LEPTOGLOSS^E. — (Gr.  Aerrrof,  slender;  y^uoaa,  the  tongue.) 

Tribe  I.  ...  CYCLOSAURA.— (Gr.  KtkAof ,  a  circle ;  aavpa.) 

Family  IV.  Lacertinidse. — (Lat.  Lacerta,  a  Lizard.     Lizard-kind.) 

ZOOTOCA. — Gr.  Zu6f ,  living ;  TIKTU,  to  bring  forth.) 


VivipSra  (Lat.  viviparous),  the  Common  Lizard. 

"We  now  arrive  at  the  singular  Class  of  REPTILES.  The 
animals  of  this  class  vary  exceedingly  in  their  forms,  sizes,  and 
habits,  but  the  peculiar  formation  of  the  circulatory  system, 
together  with  many  other  anatomical  distinctions,  plainly  mark 
them  out  as  a  distinct  class. 

The  LIZARDS  are  usually  active,  bright-eyed  little  creatures, 
delighting  to  bask  in  the  sun,  near  some  safe  retreat,  to  which 
they  dart  with  astonishing  celerity  upon  the  slightest  alarm. 
Two  species  of  Lizards  inhabit  this  country,  the  Common 
Lizard,  and  the  Sand  Lizard.  The  latter  animal  is  consider- 
ably larger  than  the  common  Lizard,  as  it  sometimes  measures 
a  foot  in  length.  It  frequents  sandy  heaths,  and  in  the  sand 
its  eggs  are  deposited,  fourteen  or  fifteen  in  number.  The 
eggs  are  hatched  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  the  young  im- 
mediately lead  an  independent  life.  During  the  winter  this 
as  well  as  the  Common  Lizard  hybernates  into  a  burrow  usually 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  385 

made  under  the  roots  of  a  tree,  nor  does  it  again  make  its  ap- 
pearance until  the  spring. 

The  Common  Lizard  is  only  six  inches  in  length.  It  is 
more  active  than  the  Sand  Lizard,  disappearing  like  magic  on 
being  alarmed.  When  seized  its  tail  frequently  snaps  off  like 
glass.  Both  British  Lizards  feed  on  insects. 


Tribe  II GEISSOSAURA.— (Gr.  Teiaoov,  a  cornice ;  aavpa.) 

Family  XV.  Scincidse. — (Gr.  2/uy/cof,  a  kind  of  Lizard) 

ANGUIS. — (Lat.  a  Snake.) 


Fragflis  (Lat.  fragile),  the  Blind-worm  or  Slow-worm. 

The  BLIND-WORM  is  not  a  snake,  as  generally  supposed,  but 
a  lizard  of  the  Skink  family.  It  is  perfectly  harmless,  its 
small  mouth  and  very  minute  teeth  precluding  all  attempts  to 
injure,  even  if  it  had  the  will.  "When  alarmed  it  snaps  asun- 
der at  the  slightest  blow,  like  the  tail  of  the  Common  Lizard, 
and  from  that  peculiarity  has  derived  its  name  of  "  fragilis."  It 
feeds  almost  entirely  on  small  slugs,  its  jaws  not  being  capable 
of  admitting  any  larger  prey.  It  is  very  common  in  most 
parts  of  England,  and  may  be  seen  basking  in  the  sun  in 
hedgerows  or  under  old  walls.  Its  eyes  are  very  small,  but 
brilliant. 

R 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-order  II. .  PACHTGLOSSA — (Gr.  ITo^wf,  thick ;  yhuaaa,  the  tongue.) 

Tribe  III NYCTISAURA.— (Gr.  NW&  night;  aavpa,  a  Lizard.) 

Family  XXII.  Gecko tiifa.— (Geckos.) 


Verus  (Lat  true),  the  Gecko. 

The  GECKOS  are  nocturnal  lizards,  remaining  hidden  in 
crevices  during  the  day,  but  wandering  forth  at  night  in  search 
of  their  insect  prey.  They  run  ahout  on  the  smooth  walls  and 
ceilings  with  the  greatest  ease,  as  their  feet  are  furnished  with 
an  apparatus  exactly  resembling  a  boy's  sucker,  by  means  of 
which  they  are  able  to  adhere  to  the  wall  or  even  to  the  roof. 
They  labour  in  their  country  under  precisely  the  same  imputa- 
tions that  the  toad  does  in  England,  namely,  of  being  venomous 
creatures,  producing  horrible  diseases  when  touched,  together 
with  many  similar  tales.  Geckos  are  spread  over  every  quarter 
of  the  globe,  but  are  most  numerous  in  Southern  Asia.  The 
species  represented  is  common  in  India. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  887 


Tribe  IV  .....  STROBILOSAURA.—  (Gr  Zrpopihos,  anything  twist- 

ed, a  Fir-cone.) 
Family  XXIII.  Iguanidae.  —  (Iguanas.) 


Tuberculata  (Lat.  covered  with  pimples),  the  Iguana. 

The  IGUANA  family  is  a  veiy  large  one,  containing  150 
species.  The  Common  Iguana  is  a  native  of  Brazil,  Cayenne, 
Jamaica,  &c.  In  spite  of  its  repulsive  appearance,  it  is  with 
many  people  a  favourite  article  of  food,  and  is  said  some- 
what to  resemble  chicken.  It  is  very  fierce  when  attacked, 
and  snaps  at  its  enemies  in  a  most  determined  manner,  often 
scaring  away  an  intruder  by  the  ferocity  of  its  aspect.  It  is 
generally  taken  by  throwing  a  noose  over  its  head,  and  dragging 
it  from  the  branches  by  main  force.  It  is  then  immediately 
killed,  as  its  sharp  notched  teeth  inflict  a  very  disagreeable 
wound.  Sometimes  it  is  hunted  with  dogs  trained  to  the 
.sport.  It  attains  a  considerable  size,  frequently  reaching  the 
length  of  six  feet.  It  feeds  usually  on  vegetable  substances, 
such  as  leaves,  fruit,  and  fungi ;  but  iguanas  have  been  seen 
in  the  island  of  Isabella,  that  fed  on  eggs,  insects,  and  even 
the  intestines  of  fowls.  An  enormous  fossil  iguana  has  been 
discovered  by  Dr.  Mantell,  whose  length  must  have  been  nearly 
seventy  feet. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  XXIV.  Agamidse. 
DRACO. — (Lat.  a  Dragon.) 


Volans  (Lat.  flying),  the  Flying  Dragon. 

The  terrible  name  of  FLYING  DRAGON  belongs  to  a  harm- 
less little  lizard,  bearing  small  resemblance  to  the  terrific  ani- 
mal so  graphically  depicted  by  Retsch.  This  curious  little 
lizard  lives  on  trees,  and  feeds  on  insects  instead  of  devouring 
pilgrims  bound  to  the  Gnadenbilde.  The  peculiar  structure  of 
its  body  bears  a  singular  resemblance  to  that  of  the  flying 
squirrel.  The  first  six  false  ribs  are  greatly  elongated,  and 
support  a  wing-like  expansion  of  skin,  which  when  stretched 
serves  to  bear  them  up  as  they  skim  through  the  air  from  one 
tree  to  another.  While  running  about  on  the  branches,  the 
so-called  wings  are  folded  to  the  side,  but  when  it  wishes  to 
throw  itself  from  the  tree,  the  ribs  are  raised,  and  the  wings 
expanded.  It  is  common  in  Java,  India,  and  Borneo. 


THE    CHAMELEON. 

The  COMMON  CHAMELEON  is  plentifully  found  in  northern 
Africa,  the  south  of  Spain,  and  Sicily.  It  lives  on  trees,  but 
exhibits  none  of  the  activity  usually  found  in  arboreal  reptiles. 
On  the  contrary,  its  movements  are  absurdly  grave  and  sol- 
emn. The  whole  activity  of  the  animal  seems  to  be  centered 
in  its  tongue,  by  means  of  which  organ  it  secures  flies  and 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  389 

Tribe  V. DENDROSAURA. — (Gr.  Mvdpov,  a  tree ;  aavpa.) 

Family  XXV.  Chameleonidse.- — (Gr.  Xa//at/>.ewv,  a  Chameleon.     Cha- 
meleon kind.) 

CHAMELEON. 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Chameleon. 

other  insects  with  such  marvellous  rapidity,  that  the  ancients 
may  be  well  pardoned  for  their  assertion  that  the  air  formed 
the  only  food  of  the  Chameleon. 

Highly  exaggerated  descriptions  have  been  given  of  the 
changes  of  colour  in  this  animal.  The  changes  are  by  no 
means  so  complete,  nor  are  the  colours  so  bright,  as  generally 
supposed. 

" And  then  its  hue, 

Who  ever  saw  so  fine  a  blue  ?" 

The  poetic  moralist  further  recounts  its  changes  to  green, 
black,  and  white.  The  umpire  referred  to  in  the  poem  is  re- 
corded to  assert, 

"  If  you  don't  find  him  black,  I'll  eat  him  ;" 

but  every  one  who  has  watched  a  Chameleon  for  any  time,  will 
be  equally  ready  to  eat  him  the  moment  that  he  turns  white. 

The  power  of  the  Chameleon  to  move  its  eyes  in  different 
directions,  gives  it  a  most  singular  aspect.  Its  enormously  long 
tongue  can  be  withdrawn  into  the  mouth  when  not  in  use,  but 
when  the  creature  sees  a  fly  within  reach,  the  tongue  is  instant- 
ly darted  forth,  and  by  means  of  a  gummy  secretion  at  the  tip 
secures  the  fly.  The  whole  movement  is  so  quick  as  almost  to 
elude  the  eye. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Order  II. ...  OPHIDIA.—{Gr.  "O<j>i?,  a  Serpent.) 
Sub-order  L  VIPERINA. — (Lat.  Viper  a,  a  Viper.) 
Family  I.  .  .  Crotalidse.— (Gr.  KporaAov,  a  Rattle.) 

UROPSOPHUS. — (Gr.  Ovpd,  the  tail ;  i/io^of,  a  noise.) 


Durissus  (Lat.  durus,  harsh),  the  Rattle-snake. 

THE  peculiar  gliding  movements  of  the  Snakes  render  them 
excellent  types  of  the  Reptiles,  a  word  derived  from  the  Latin 
repo,  I  creep.  The  extraordinary  flexibility  of  their  bodies  is 
caused  by  the  structure  of  their  vertebrae,  each  one  of  which  fits 
into  the  one  behind  it  by  a  ball-and-socket  joint,  thus  allowing 
freedom  of  motion  in  every  direction. 

The  RATTLE-SNAKE  is  a  native  of  America.  Its  name  is  de- 
rived from  the  loose  bony  structure  at  the  extremity  of  its  tail, 
called  the  rattle,  and  which  by  the  sound  of  its  movements  gives 
timely  intimation  of  the  vicinity  of  this  terrible  reptile.  Fortu- 
nately, its  disposition  is  exceedingly  sluggish,  and  it  invariably 
sounds  its  rattle  when  irritated  or  disturbed.  Its  bite  is  inevi- 
tably mortal,  and  death  always  ensues  "-within  a  few  hours  after 
its  bite. 

The  deadly  weapons  with  which  the  venomous  serpents 
are  armed,  are  two  long  curved  fangs  belonging  to  the  upper 
jaw,  and  moving  on  a  hinge  by  which  they  lie  flat  in  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  391 

mouth,  when  not  wanted.  An  aperture  exists  in  the  point 
of  the  fang,  by  which  a  poisonous  fluid,  secreted  in  a  gland  at 
the  base  of  the  tooth,  is  poured  into  the  wound,  and,  mixing 
with  the  blood,  rapidly  carries  its  deadly  influence  throughout 
the  entire  system.  A  short  time  since  an  American  physician 
was  exhibiting  a  caged  rattle-snake  to  his  friends.  He  ap- 
proached his  hand  too  near  the  irritated  reptile,  who  instanta- 
neously inflicted  a  wound,  and  although  every  precaution  was 
taken,  the  bite  proved  fatal  in  a  few  hours. 

Waterton  gives  some  useful  hints  respecting  snakes,  especial- 
ly those  of  the  venomous  kind  : — 

"  When  a  man  is  ranging  a  forest,  and  sees  a  serpent  gliding 
towards  him  (which  is  a  very  rare  occurrence),  he  has  only  to 
tack  off  in  a  side  direction,  and  he  may  be  perfectly  assured 
that  it  will  not  follow  him.  Should  the  man,  however,  stand 
still,  and  should  the  snake  be  one  of  those  overgrown  monsters 
capable  of  making  a  meal  of  a  man, — in  these  cases  the  snake 
would  pursue  its  course ;  and  when  it  got  sufficiently  near  to 
the  place  where  the  man  was  standing,  would  raise  the  fore- 
part of  its  body  in  a  retiring  attitude,  and  then  dart  at  him 
and  seize  him.  A  man  may  pass  within  a  yard  of  rattle-snakes 
with  safety,  provided  he  goes  quietly  ;  but  should  he  irritate  a 
rattle-snake,  or  tread  incautiously  upon  it,  he  would  infallibly 
receive  a  wound  from  its  fang,  though,  by  the  bye,  with  the 
point  of  that  fang  curved  downwards,  not  upwards."* 

The  same  author  was  nearly  falling  a  victim  to  a  rattle- 
snake. He  saw  what  he  thought  was  a  green  locust  struggling 
in  the  grass.  On  stooping  down  to  examine  it,  he  was  consid- 
erably alarmed  at  discovering  it  to  be  the  tail  of  a  rattle-snake. 

The  length  of  this  snake  has  seldom  been  known  to  exceed 
seven  feet. 

*  This  latter  passage  refers  to  a  plate  in  Audubon's  Ornithology,  where  a  rattle- 
snake is  represented  attacking  a  mocking-bird's  nest,  and  threatening  the  birds  with 
two  fangs  curved  upwards— a  mistake  which  Waterton  never  loses  sight  of. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  IL  Viperidse. 
CLOTHO.* — (Gr.  proper  name.) 


Arigtans  (Lat  butting  like  a  Ram),  the  Puff  Adder. 

The  PUFF  ADDER  is  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  Africa.  It  is 
a  short  thick  flattish  snake,  of  a  most  sinister  and  malignant 
aspect.  The  following  alarming  adventure  occurred  to  Mr. 
Cole,  a  resident  in  the  Cape. 

"  I  was  going  quietly  to  bed  one  evening,  wearied  by  a  long 
day's  hunting,  when,  close  to  my  feet  and  by  my  bedside, 
some  glittering  substance  caught  my  eye.  I  stooped  to  pick 
it  up ;  but,  ere  my  hand  had  quite  reached  it,  the  truth  flash- 
ed across  me — it  was  a  snake !  Had  I  followed  my  first  nat- 
ural impulse,  I  should  have  sprung  away,  but  not  being  able 
clearly  to  see  in  what  position  the  reptile  was  lying,  or  which 
way  his  head  was  pointed,  I  controlled  myself,  and  remained 
rooted  breathless  to  the  spot.  Straining  my  eyes,  but  moving 
not  an  inch,  I  at  length  clearly  distinguished  a  huge  puff 
adder,  the  most  deadly  snake  in  the  colony,  whose  bite  would 
have  sent  me  to  the  other  world  in  an  hour  or  two.  I  watch- 
ed him  in  silent  horror ;  his  head  was  from  me,  so  much  the 
worse ;  for  this  snake,  unlike  any  other,  always  rises  and 

*  This  is  the  name  of  one  of  the  three  Fates,  viz.  Clotho,  Lachesis,  and  Atropos. 
All  three  names  are  used  as  genera  of  venomous  serpents. 


NATURAL   HISTORY,  393 

strikes  back.  He  did  not  move,  he  was  asleep.  Not  daring 
to  shuffle  my  feet,  lest  he  should  awake  and  spring  upon  me, 
I  took  a  jump  backwards,  that  would  have  done  honour  to  a 
gymnastic  master,  and  thus  darted  outside  the  door  of  the 
room  ;  with  a  thick  stick  I  then  returned  and  settled  his  wor- 
ship." 

The  same  author  remarks  in  his  "  Five  Years'  Residence  in 
South  Africa,"  that  its  (the  puff  adder's)  bite  will  kill  occa- 
sionally within  an  hour. 

"  One  of  my  friends  lost  a  favourite  and  valuable  horse  by 
its  bite  in  less  than  two  hours  after  the  attack.  It  is  a  slug- 
gish reptile,  and  therefore  more  dangerous,  for  instead  of  rush- 
ing away  like  its  fellows,  at  the  sound  of  approaching  footsteps, 
it  half  raises  its  head  and  hisses.  Often  have  I  come  to  a  sud- 
den pull  up  on  foot  or  on  horseback,  on  hearing  their  dreaded 
warning." 


CERASTES. — (Gr.  Kepuarrjf,  horned.) 


Hasselquistii  (Lat.  of  Hasselquisf),  the  Cerastes. 

The  CERASTES  is  a  well-known  snake  in  Egypt,  and  derives 
its  name  from  the  horny  scale  over  each  eyebrow.  Bruce 
mentions  that  the  Cerastes  can  spring  several  feet  in  any 


3U4 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


direction  ;  but  his  description  of  the  stratagems  employed  by 
it,  "to  surprise  any  one  who  is  too  far  from  it,"  is  probably 
more  fanciful  than  correct,  as  snakes  do  not  attack  unless 
suddenly  surprised  or  irritated.  The  size  of  the  Cerastes  is  by 
no  means  great,  as  its  average  length  is  only  eighteen  inches. 
The  snake  charmers  of  Egypt  employ  these  reptiles  precisely 
as  their  brethren  of  India  employ  the  Cobra  de  Capello. 


PELIAS. — (jGr.  proper  name.) 


Berus,  the  Viper. 

The  COMMON  VIPER,  or  ADDER,  is  the  only  venomous 
reptile  inhabiting  England,  nor  is  its  bite  nearly  so  dangerous 
in  its  consequences  as  has  been  reported.  Seldom  has  the 
bite  of  the  Viper  proved  mortal,  and  in  all  probability,  had 
proper  precautions  been  taken,  no  case  would  have  been 
fatal.  Viper  catchers  employ  olive  oil  as  a  remedy  against 
the  bite,  and,  from  all  accounts,  it  appears  to  be  a  certain 
preservative  against  all  evil  effects. 

It  is  asserted  that  when  danger  threatens,  the  female  viper 
opens  her  mouth  and  permits  her  brood  to  hide  themselves, 
but  it  is  by  no  means  an  ascertained  fact. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  396 

Frogs,  lizards,  mice,  and  other  small  animals,  form  the  food 
of  this  reptile,  but  sometimes  it  falls  a  victim  to  its  own  vorac- 
ity. In  the  Magazine  of  Natural  History,  a  viper  is  mentioned 
which  had  swallowed  a  lizard  nearly  as  large  as  itself,  and  one 
of  whose  legs  was  protruding  from  its  side. 

In  former  times,  preparations  from  vipers,  and  especially 
viper-broth,  were  in  great  request  as  medicines. 


Sub-order  II. .  COLUBKINA. — (Lat,  Coluber,  a  Snake.) 
Family  IV.  .  .  Boid«e. 


Constrictor  (Lat.  a  binder),  the  Boa. 

The  enormous  BOA-CONSTRICTOR  inhabits  tropical  America. 
It  is  not  venomous,  but  is  not  the  less  dangerous,  as  the 
tremendous  power  of  its  muscles  enables  it  to  crush  its 
prey  in  the  coils  of  its  huge  body.  In  order  to  procure  its 
food,  the  Boa-constrictor  lies  in  wait  by  the  side  of  some 


396  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

river  or  pool,  where  animals  of  all  kinds  are  likely  to  come  to 
quench  their  thirst.  It  patiently  waits  until  some  animal 
draws  within  reach,  when,  with  one  spring,  the  Boa  fixes  its 
teeth  in  the  creature's  head,  coils  its  body  round  its  victim, 
and  crushes  it  to  death.  After  the  unfortunate  animal  has 
been  reduced  almost  to  a  shapeless  mass  by  the  pressure  of  the 
snake,  its  destroyer  makes  preparations  for  swallowing  it  en- 
tire, a  task  which  it  accomplishes,  although  the  slaughtered 
animal  is  usually  very  much  larger  than  the  dimensions  of  the 
serpent.  At  last,  the  snake  succeeds  in  swallowing  its  prey, 
and  then  lies  torpid  for  nearly  a  month,  until  its  enormous 
meal  is  digested,  when  it  again  sallies  forth  in  search  of 
another. 

Even  the  buffalo  has  been  known  to  fall  a  victim  to  this  fear- 
ful serpent,  whose  length  frequently  exceeds  twenty-five  feet, 


THE    COBRA    DE    CAPELLO. 

The  COBRA  DE  CAPELLO  is  a  native  of  India.  It  must  not 
be  confounded  with  several  other  hooded  snakes,  such  as  the 
Haje  of  Egypt,  the  snake  so  frequently  depicted  on  the  hiero- 
glyphical  monuments. 

The  serpent  charmers  invariably  use  this  formidable  reptile 
for  their  performances.  The  exhibitors  possess  several  Cobras 
shut  up  in  baskets,  and  when  commencing  their  performances, 
the  lid  of  the  basket  is  opened,  and  the  snake  creeps  out. 
Its  course  is  arrested  by  the  sound  of  the  rude  fife  that 
the  charmer  always  carries,  and  it  immediately  expands  its 
beautiful  though  threatening  hood,  erects  its  neck,  and  com- 
mences a  series  of  undulatory  movements,  which  are  continued 
until  the  sound  of  the  fife  ceases,  when  the  snake  instantly 
drops,  and  is  replaced  in  its  basket  by  its  master.  The 
charmers  appear  to  be  able  to  discover  snakes,  and  to  induce 
them  to  leave  their  retreats.  Indeed  it  is  rather  a  singular 
fact,  that  those  travellers  who  most  strongly  insist  that  the 
snakes  thus  caught  are  tame  and  divested  of  their  fangs, 
appear  to  forget  that  even  in  that  case  the  creatures  must 
have  been  previously  caught  in  order  to  deprive  them  of 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Family  V.  Colubridse. 

NAJA. 


Tripudians  (Lat.  dancing),  the  Cobra  de  Capello. 

their  weapons.     The  length  of  this  snake  is  about  five  or  six 
feet.* 

The  Egyptian  Asp,  or  Haje,  is  supposed  to  be  the  asp  by 
whose  bite  Cleopatra  died,  and  is  in  all  probability  the  deaf 
adder  alluded  to  in  the  Scriptures,  "  which  stoppeth  her  ears, 
and  refuseth  to  hear  the  voice  of  the  charmer,  charm  he  never 
so  wisely." 

*  A  Cobra  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  was  a  long  time  in  learning  caution.  It  was 
accustomed  to  lie  coiled  up  at  the  bottom  of  the  cage  until  a  spectator  came  close, 
when  it  invariably  darted  at  him,  of  course  striking  its  nose  against  the  glass  with 
no  small  violence.  On  my  first  visit  to  the  Reptile  House  after  its  arrival,  it  made 
its  customary  attack,  and  after  the  space  of  a  week,  it  again  struck  at  me.  On  a 
visit,  several  months  afterwards,  it  laid  very  quietly  at  the  bottom  of  its  cage,  and 
contented  itself  with  a  hiss. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

NATRIX.—  (Lat.  a  Water  Snake.) 


Torcruata  (Lat.  collared),  the  Ringed  Snake. 

The  COMMON  RINGED  or  GRASS  SNAKE  is  a  harmless  inhab- 
itant of  this  country,  and  may  be  frequently  seen  or  heard 
gliding  along  the  hedge-banks  in  search  of  food.  It  is  easily 
tamed,  and  soon  learns  to  know  its  master.  It  lives  principally 
on  frogs,  mice,  young  birds,  newts,  &c.*  It  is  an  excellent 
swimmer,  and  from  the  peculiar  structure  of  its  lungs  can 
remain  under  water  for  some  time.  It  seems  very  fond  of  the 
water,  and  is  most  commonly  found  on  marshy  land,  or  in 
hedges  planted  over  a  wet  ditch.  The  viper,  on  the  contrary, 
prefers  dry  sandy  situations. 

Like  all  other  serpents,  the  Ringed  Snake  sheds  its  skin 
several  times  during  the  year.  The  entire  skin  comes  off, 

*  Several  snakes  kept  tame  at  a  village  in  Wiltshire  were  fed  with  frogs  and  small 
newts,  which  latter  animals  the  snake  was  induced  to  swallow,  by  the  simple  process 
of  opening  the  snake's  mouth  and  pushing  the  newt  down  its  throat.  This  process, 
although  apparently  rather  rude,  seemed  to  cause  the  snakes  no  inconvenience. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  399 

even  the  covering  of  the  eyes.  A  rent  opens  in  the  neck,  and 
the  snake,  by  entangling  itself  in  the  thick  grass  or  bushes, 
actually  creeps  out  of  its  skin,  turning  it  inside  out  in  the 
effort. 


Order  III.  .   CHELONIA.—(Gy.  XeAww?,  a  Tortoise.) 
Family  I.  .  Testudinidse. — (Lat.  Testudo,  a  Tortoise. 


Grseca  (Lat.  Greek),  the  Tortoise. 

The  whole  of  this  order  is  characterized  by  the  complete 
suit  of  bony  armour  with  which  the  animals  are  protected. 
The  so-called  "  shell"  is  in  fact  a  development  of  various  bones, 
and  not  a  mere  horny  appendage,  like  the  coverings  of  the 
armadillo  and  manis.  The  upper  shield  is  called  the  "  cara- 
pace," and  is  united  to  the  under  shield,  or  "plastron,"  by 
certain  bones,  leaving  orifices  for  the  protrusion  of  the  head 
and  limbs.  Most  species  are  able  to  withdraw  their  head  and 
limbs  completely  within  the  shell,  and  in  some  few  the  orifices 
are  closed  by  a  kind  of  hinge  joint.  The  tortoiseshell  of  com- 
merce is  a  series  of  horny  plates  that  cover  the  exterior  of  the 


400  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

shield,  and  is  in  great  request  on  account  of  the  beautiful  wavy 
markings  that  are  so  familiar  to  our  eyes. 

The  Tortoises  and  Turtles  possess  no  teeth,  but  the  sides  of 
their  jaws  are  very  hard  and  sharp,  enabling  them  to  crop 
vegetable  substances,  or  to  inflict  a  severe  bite. 

The  family  is  divided  into  Land  Tortoises,  Marsh  Tortoises, 
River  Tortoises,  and  Marine  Tortoises,  or  Turtles. 

The  COMMON  LAND  TORTOISE  is  found  in  abundance  in  the 
south  of  Europe.  It  is  often  kept  in  captivity  in  this  country, 
and  is  very  long  lived,  individuals  being  known  to  have  ex- 
ceeded two  hundred  years.  Its  movements  are  very  slow,  but 
it  can  excavate  a  burrow  with  unexpected  rapidity.  Secure 
in  an  impenetrable  covering,  it  bids  defiance  to  any  ordinary 
enemy,  except,  as  Sidney  Smith  wittily  observes,  "man  and  the 
boa-constrictor.  Man,  however,  takes  him  home  and  roasts 
him,  and  the  boa-constrictor  swallows  him  whole,  shell  and 
all,  and  consumes  him  slowly  in  the  interior,  as  the  Court  of 
Chancery  does  a  great  estate." 


THE    COMMON    GREEN    TURTLE. 

The  feet  of  the  MARINE  TORTOISES,  or  TURTLES,  are  modi- 
fied into  fins  or  flippers,  just  as  are  the  feet  of  the  seals,  and 
consequently,  although  the  Turtles  are  active  in  the  water, 
on  land  their  walk  is  nothing  but  an  awkward  shuffle.  The 
flippers,  however,  are  admirable  instruments  for  scooping  out 
the  sand,  in  which  the  eggs  are  laid,  and  afterwards  covered 
over.  Nearly  two  hundred  eggs  are  laid  in  one  nest.  The 
eggs  are  held  in  great  estimation,  but  the  albumen,  or  "  white," 
does  not  become  hard  by  boiling. 

The  COMMON  GREEN  TURTLE,  whose  flesh  is  considered 
such  a  luxury,  is  common  in  Jamaica,  and  most  of  the  islands 
of  the  East  and  West  Indies.  The  Turtles  are  captured 
by  turning  them  on  their  backs,  for  the  carapace  is  so  flat, 
and  their  legs  are  so  short,  that  they  are  forced  to  lie  help- 
less until  their  captors  have  leisure  to  drag  them  away. 


NATURAL   HISTORY, 
Family  V.   Cheloniadse. 

CHELONIA. 


Viridis  (Lat.  green),  the  Turtle. 

The  Green  Turtle  has  been  known  to  reach  the  weight  of  five 
or  six  hundred  pounds.  The  tortoiseshell  of  commerce  is  almost 
entirely  obtained  from  the  Hawksbill  Turtle, 


THE    CROCODILE. 

These  animals  are  separated  from  the  Lizards  on  account 
of  the  peculiar  horny  covering  with  which  they  are  pro- 
tected. 

The  CROCODILE  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Old  "World,  the 
ALLIGATOR  of  the  New,  and  the  two  animals  are  best  dis- 
tinguished by  the  construction  of  the  jaws.  In  the  Crocodiles 
the  lower  canine  teeth  fit  into  a  notch  in  the  edge  of  the  upper 
jaw,  and  there  is  in  consequence  a  contraction  of  the  muzzle 
just  behind  the  nostrils.  The  lower  canine  teeth  of  the  Alli- 
gators fit  into  a  pit  in  the  edge  of  the  upper  jaw,  and  in  con- 


402 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Order  IV. .  EMTDOSA  URL — (Gr.  'E/nV,  the  Water-Tortoise ;  aavpa.) 
Family  I.  .  Crocodilldse. — (Gr.  KponoSeihoc..     Crocodile  kind.)* 
CEOCODILUS. 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Crocodile. 

sequence  no  contraction  is  needed.  At  the  back  of  the  throat 
is  a  valve  completely  shutting  out  water,  but  leaving  the  pas- 
sage to  the  nostrils  free,  so  that  the  Crocodile  can  keep  his 
mouth  open  when  beneath  the  surface,  without  swallowing  the 
water,  or  can  hold  his  prey  to  drown  under  the  water  while  he 
himself  breathes  at  ease  with  his  nostrils  at  the  surface.  There 
is  no  true  tongue. 

The  Common  Crocodile  inhabits  many  African  rivers,  and 
is,  probably,  the  reptile  infesting  the  Ganges.  The  Nile,  how- 
ever, is  the  best  known  haunt  of  this  terrible  creature. 

The  Crocodile  feeds  on  fish,  floating  carrion,  and  dogs  or 
other  animals,  which  it  is  enabled  to  surprise  as  they  come  to 
drink  at  the  water's  edge,  but  man  frequently  falls  a  victim 

*  The  word  Crocodile  literally  signifies,  "  one  afraid  of  saffron." 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  403 

to  its  voracity.  In  revenge  for  this  treatment  all  nations  per- 
secuted with  this  pest  have  devised  various  methods  of  killing 
it.  The  Negroes  of  some  parts  of  Africa  are  sufficiently  bold 
and  skilful  to  attack  the  Crocodile  in  his  own  element.  They 
fearlessly  plunge  into  the  water,  and  diving  heneath  the 
Crocodile  plunge  the  dagger  with  which  they  are  armed  into 
the  creature's  belly,  which  is  not  protected  by  the  coat  of 
mail  that  guards  the  other  parts  of  its  body.  The  usual  plan 
is  to  lie  in  wait  near  the  spot  where  the  Crocodile  is  accus- 
tomed to  repose.  This  is  usually  a  sandy  bank,  and  the 
hunter  digs  a  hole  in  the  sand,  and  armed  with  a  sharp 
harpoon  patiently  awaits  the  coming  of  his  expected  prey. 
The  Crocodile  comes  to  its  accustomed  spot,  and  is  scon 
asleep,  when  it  is  suddenly  roused  by  the  harpoon,  which 
penetrates  completely  through  its  scaly  covering.  The  hunter 
immediately  retreats  to  a  canoe,  and  hauls  at  the  line  attached 
to  the  harpoon  until  the  Crocodile  is  at  the  surface,  when  a 
second  harpoon  is  darted.  The  struggling  animal  is  soon 
wearied  out,  dragged  to  shore,  and  dispatched  by  dividing  the 
spinal  chord.  In  order  to  prevent  the  infuriated  reptile  from 
biting  the  cord  asunder,  it  is  composed  of  about  thirty  small 
lines,  not  twisted,  but  only  bound  together  at  intervals  of  two 
feet. 

When  on  land  it  is  not  difficult  to  escape  the  Crocodile,  as 
certain  projections  on  the  vertebrae  of  the  neck  prevent  it  from 
turning  its  head  to  any  extent. 

The  eggs  of  this  creature  are  very  small,  hardly  exceeding 
those  of  a  goose ;  numbers  are  annually  destroyed  by  birds  of 
prey  and  quadrupeds,  especially  the  Ichneumon. 


THE    ALLIGATOR. 

The  ALLIGATOR,  or  CAYMAN,  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  New 
World,  and  is  unpleasantly  common  in  the  rivers  of  North 
America.  It  pursues  fish  with  exceeding  dexterity,  by  driving 
a  shoal  of  them  into  a  creek,  and  then  plunging  amid  the 
terrified  mass,  and  devouring  its  victims  at  its  pleasure.  It 
also  catches  pigs,  dogs,  and  other  animals  that  venture  too 
close  to  the  river.  In  that  case,  as  the  animal  is  too  large  to 


404  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family  II.  Alligatoridse.— (Lat.  a  binder.    Alligator-kind.) 


ALLIGATOR. 


Mississipensis  (Lat.  of  the  Mississipi),  the  Alligator. 

be  swallowed  entire,  the  Alligator  conceals  it  in  some  hole  in 
the  bank  until  it  begins  to  putrefy,  when  it  is  dragged  out, 
and  devoured  under  the  concealment  of  the  rank  herbage 
fringing  the  river. 

The  usual  method  of  taking  this  creature  is  by  baiting  a 
most  formidable  four-pointed  hook,  and  suffering  it  to  float 
in  the  river.  When  an  alligator  has  swallowed  it,  he  is 
hauled  on  shore  by  the  rope,  and  slaughtered.  Waterton 
gives  a  very  amusing  account  of  catching  a  cayman.  The 
reptile  had  swallowed  the  hook,  and  was  being  towed  ashore. 
Waterton  was  waiting  for  him,  armed  with  the  mast  of  the  boat 
to  force  it  down  the  throat  of  the  cayman  should  he  prove 
restive.  "  By  this  time  the  cayman  was  within  two  yards  of 
me  :  I  saw  he  was  in  a  state  of  fear  and  perturbation.  I  in- 
stantly dropped  the  mast,  sprang  up,  and  jumped  on  his  back- 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  405 

turning  half  round  as  I  vaulted,  so  that  I  gained  my  seat  with 
my  face  in  a  right  position.  I  immediately  seized  his  fore  legs, 
and  by  main  force  twisted  them  on  his  back  ;  thus  they  served 
me  for  a  bridle. 

"  He  now  seemed  to  have  recovered  from  his  surprise,  and 
probably  fancying  himself  in  hostile  company,  he  began  to 
plunge  furiously,  and  lashed  the  sand  with  his  long  and  pow- 
erful tail.  I  was  out  of  reach  of  the  strokes  of  it,  by  being  near 
his  head.  He  continued  to  plunge  and  strike,  and  made  my 
seat  very  uncomfortable." 

In  Audubon's  American  Ornithology  is  an  account  of  a 
wounded  ibis  chased  by  the  alligators.  A  white  ibis  had  been 
shot,  and  had  fallen  into  the  water  with  a  broken  wing. 
"  The  exertions  which  it  made  to  reach  the  shore  seemed  to 
awake  the  half  torpid  alligators  that  lay  in  the  deep  mud  at 
the  bottom  of  the  pool.  One  showed  his  head  above  the 
water,  then  a  second  and  third.  All  gave  chase  to  the 
wounded  bird,  which,  on  seeing  its  dreaded  and  deadly  foes, 
made  double  speed  towards  the  very  spot  where  we  stood.  I 
was  surprised  to  see  how  much  faster  the  bird  swam  than  the 
reptiles,  who,  with  jaws  widely  opened,  urged  their  heavy 
bodies  through  the  water.  The  ibis  was  now  within  a  few 
yards  of  us.  It  was  the  alligator's  last  chance.  Springing 
forwards,  as  it  were,  he  raised  his  body  almost  out  of  the 
water ;  his  jaws  nearly  touched  the  terrified  bird,  when,  by 
pulling  three  triggers  at  once,  we  lodged  the  contents  of  our 
guns  in  the  throat  of  the  monster.  Threshing  furiously  with 
his  tail,  and  rolling  his  body  in  agony,  the  alligator  at  last 
sunk  to  the  mud ;  and  the  ibis,  as  if  in  gratitude,  walked  to 
our  very  feet,  and  then  lying  down,  surrendered  himself  to  us." 

Like  the  Crocodile,  the  Alligator  lays  its  eggs  in  the  sandy 
bank  of  the  river.  Fortunately,  but  few  of  the  young  ever 
reach  maturity,  as  their  ranks  are  thinned  by  various  birds 
and  beasts  of  prey  before  the  eggs  are  hatched,  and  by  the  at- 
tacks of  large  fishes,  and  even  their  own  species,  when  they 
have  reached  the  water. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Class  IV.  .  .  AMPHIBIA. — (Gr.  'A/z0i/3iOf,  leading  a  double  life,  i.e.  on 

land  and  on  water.) 

Order  I.  .  .  EATRACHIA. — (Gr.  Burpa^of,  a  Frog.) 
Sub-order  I.  SALIENTIA. — (Lat.  Leaping  animals.) 

RANA. — (Lat.  a  Frog.) 


Temporana  (Lat.  temporary),  the  Common  Frog. 

The  appearance  and  habits  of  the  FROG  and  the  TOAD  are 
so  familiar  as  to  require  but  little  description.  A  short  ac- 
count, however,  is  necessary,  of  the  peculiarities  common  to 
both  Frogs  and  Toads. 

In  the  early  stage  of  their  existence,  these  animals  are 
termed  tadpoles.  They  at  first  appear  to  be  nothing  but  head 
and  tail,  but  after  several  days  have  passed,  four  legs  are  ob- 
served to  become  developed.  These  rapidly  increase,  and  the 
little  creature  closely  resembles  a  small  eft.  In  due  time, 
however,  the  tail  is  lost,  and  the  creature  becomes  a  perfect 
frog.  Another  important  change  also  takes  place.  In  its  tad- 
pole state  the  creature  was  essentially  a  water  animal,  but  after 
its  change  has  taken  place  it  is  not  able  to  exist  under  water 
for  any  great  length  of  time,  and  is  forced  to  come  to  the  sur- 
face to  breathe. 

The  tongue  of  the  Frog  is  curiously  fixed  almost  at  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  407 

entrance  of  the  mouth,  and  when  at  rest  points  backwards 
down  the  throat.  When,  however,  the  Frog  comes  within  reach 
of  a  slug  or  insect,  the  tongue  is  darted  out  with  exceeding 
rapidity,  the  slug  secured,  carried  to  the  back  of  the  throat,  and 
swallowed. 

Both  frogs  and  toads  hybernate,  the  former  congregating 
in  multitudes  in  the  mud  at  the  bottoms  of  ponds  and  marshes, 
while  the  latter  choose  a  hole  in  the  ground,  frequently  at  the 
roots  of  a  tree,  and  pass  the  winter  in  solitary  dignity.* 

The  skin  of  these  animals  has  the  property  of  imbibing 
water,  so  that  if  an  apparently  emaciated  frog  is  placed  in  a 
damp  place,  it  will  soon  look  quite  plump. 

The  Common  Frog  is  a  well  known  frequenter  of  marshy 
places  and  the  banks  of  rivers.  It  is  an  admirable  swimmer, 
and  from  the  peculiar  construction  of  its  lungs  can  remain  for 
some  time  under  water,  but  is  forced  periodically  to  come  to 
the  surface  for  the  purpose  of  breathing. 

The  Bull-Frog  is  an  inhabitant  of  North  America.  It  is  very 
voracious,  feeding  upon  fishes,  mollusks,  and  even  young  fowl. 
Its  powers  of  leaping  are  so  great  that  an  Indian  was  not  able 
to  overtake  an  irritated  bull-frog  after  it  had  sprung  three  hops 
in  advance.  It  is  very  large,  measuring  about  seven  inches  in 
length. 

The  Tree  Frogs  are  very  peculiar  animals.  The  construc- 
tion of  their  feet,  something  resembling  that  of  the  geckos,  en- 
ables them  to  traverse  the  branches,  and  even  to  hang  on  the 
under  surface  of  a  pendant  leaf,  which  it  so  resembles  in  colour 
that  the  unwary  insect  passes  by  and  is  instantly  seized  by  the 
watchful  frog.  The  Green  Tree  Frog  is  the  most  common, 
and  is  plentifully  found  in  southern  Europe  and  northern  Africa. 
There  are  several  specimens  in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  which 
present  a  most  absurd  appearance  as  they  stick  against  the  pane 
of  glass  forming  the  front  of  their  cage. 

*  In  February,  1852,  two  frogs  were  dug  out  of  the  play-ground  of  Magdalen  School, 
Oxford.  They  were  about  a  foot  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  their  habitation 
was  quite  smooth.  Both  were  sitting  with  their  mouths  pointed  upwards,  but  I  could 
not  ascertain  if  there  had  been  auy  communication  with  the  open  air. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Euro. — (Lat  a  Toad.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Common  Toad. 

The  COMMON  TOAD  has  had  its  full  share  of  marvellous  tales. 
Its  poisonous  properties  are  celebrated  in  many  an  ancient 
chronicle,  as  are  also  the  virtues  of  the  jewel  contained  in  its 
head. 

Its  skin  certainly  does  secrete  an  acrid  humour,  which  at  all 
events  defends  it  from  dogs,  who  can  never  be  induced  to  bite 
a  toad  a  second  time  ;  but  of  course  such  absurd  notions  as  the 
romantic  story  of  the  death  of  a  young  lady  and  her  lover,  who 
each  ate  a  leaf  of  a  shrub  at  the  root  of  which  a  toad  had  made 
its  habitation,  need  no  refutation. 

The  Toad  is  easily  tamed.  A  correspondent  from  the  coun- 
try has  kindly  sent  an  account  of  a  tame  toad,  that  had  lived 
in  the  family  for  several  years,  and  which  was  accustomed  to 
sup  on  a  lump  of  sugar. 

The  well-known  instances  of  imprisoned  toads  who  must 
have  spent  many  years  in  their  narrow  habitations,  are 
apparently  explained  by  the  supposition  that  some  aperture 
or  fissure  existed,  through  which  air  and  minute  insects 
could  pass,  sufficient  for  their  nourishment  while  in  a  semi- 
torpid  condition.  Certainly  those  experimented  on  by  Dr 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  400 

Buckland  in  1825,  and  from  whom  all  air  was  cut  oft',  died  be- 
fore a  year's  imprisonment.  The  Toad  casts  its  skin  at  certain 
times,  but  we  never  find  the  slough  as  we  do  that  of  the  snake, 
as  the  toad  invariably  swallows  its  former  covering. 


Sub-order  II.  GRADIENTIA. — (Lat.  walking  animals.) 

Family  I. ...  Salamandridse. — (Gr.  Zahripavdpa,  a  Salamander.) 

TRITON. — (Gr.  fpiruv,  a  Sea-god.) 


Cri  status  (L'at.  crested),  the  Common  Newt. 

The  NEWTS  are  separated  from  the  lizards  on  account  of  their 
changes  while  young.  Like  the  frogs,  they  are  first  tadpoles, 
and  do  not  assume  their  perfect  shape  until  six  weeks  after 
their  exclusion  from  the  eggs. 

The  Common  Newt  is  a  beautiful  inhabitant  of  the  ponds, 
ditches,  and  still  waters.  It  feeds  principally  on  tadpoles  and 
worms,  which  it  eats  with  a  peculiar  rapid  snap.*  It  is  con- 

*  I  have  frequently  seen  it  attack  the  smaller  newt  with  great  perseverance,  but  I 
was  never  fortunate  enough  to  see  it  kill  its  prey. 

I  kept  some  newts  for  some  time  in  a  large  glass  vessel,  and  noticed  that  when  a 

new  inhabitant  was  added,  it  always  cast  its  skin  within  two  or  three  days.     The 

skin  came  off  in  pieces,  the  covering  of  the  feet  slipping  off  like  a  glove,  but  I  conhl 

never  see  how  the  creature  contrived  to  pull  it  off. 

S 


410  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

stantly  in  the  habit  of  rising  to  the  surface  of  the  water  in  order 
to  breathe. 

Many  country  people  have  great  horror  of  these  beautiful 
and  harmless  little  animals.  In  a  little  village  in  Wiltshire 
there  is  a  current  anecdote  of  a  girl  who  was  bitten  in  the  arm 
by  an  effet,  who  spit  fire  into  the  wound.  The  girl  consequently 
lost  her  arm.  Some  of  these  newts  or  efts  were  placed  in  a 
trough  where  the  cows  were  accustomed  to  drink.  After  a  few 
days  a  calf  died,  and  nothing  would  convince  the  rustics  that 
the  effets  were  not  the  cause  of  the  untimely  decease  of  the 
calf,  although  it  had  never  come  near  the  trough,  but  was  safely 
fastened  in  the  cow-house.  The  male  Newt  is  distinguished  by 
a  beautiful  crimson-tipped  wavy  crest  of  loose  skin,  that  extends 
along  the  whole  course  of  the  back  and  tail,*  and  which,  to- 
gether with  the  rich  orange-coloured  belly,  makes  it  a  most  beau- 
tiful creature.  The  female  has  a  singular  habit  of  laying  her 
eggs  upon  long  leaves  of  water-plants,  and  actually  tying  them 
in  the  leaf  by  a  regular  knot. 


Order  V. . .  MEANTIA. — (Lat.  gliding  animals.) 
Family  I. . .  Proteidse. 

PROTEUS. — (Proper  name.) 


Angulnus  (Lat  like  a  Snake),  the  Proteus. 

The  PROTEUS  is  an  extraordinary  animal,  which  has  been 
found  in  dark  subterranean  lakes,  many  hundred  feet  below 

*  This  crest  is  represented  in  the  engraving,  but  it  does  not  remain  erect  while  the 
eft  is  on  the  land,  but  falls  over  the  back  and  can  hardly  be  discerned.  In  the  water, 
it  is  erect,  and  constantly  undulating. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  411 

the  surface  of  the  earth,  where  no  ray  of  light  can  possibly  enter. 
The  eyes  of  this  singular  creature  are  mere  points  covered  with 
skin,  and  useless  for  vision  ;  indeed  when  in  captivity  it  always 
chooses  the  darkest  parts  of  the  vessel  in  which  it  is  confined. 

The  Proteus  breathes  in  two  ways — by  lungs  and  by  gills, 
the  latter  organs  appearing  in  the  form  of  two  tufts,  one  on 
each  side  of  the  neck,  just  above  the  fore  limbs.  The  circula- 
tion of  the  blood  in  these  branchial  tufts  can  easily  be  seen 
with  a  microscope  of  moderate  power.  These  tufts  are  of  a 
rather  deeper  pink  tinge  than  the  remainder  of  the  body,  which 
is  of  a  very  pale  flesh-colour.  Exposure  to  light  darkens  the 
tints  both  of  gills  and  body.  It  bears  some  resemblance  to  the 
young  of  the  newts,  which  are  furnished  with  branchial  tufts, 
which  they  lose  upon  attaining  maturity,  and  were  therefore 
for  some  time  thought  to  be  the  young  of  some  unknown  reptile. 
It  has,  however,  been  proved  to  be  a  perfect  animal,  and  has 
been  found  of  all  sizes. 

It  is  easily  kept  in  water  and  requires  no  feeding,  but  the 
water  must  be  frequently  changed  to  keep  it  in  health.  The 
blood  disks  of  this  animal  are  exceedingly  large ;  so  large,  in- 
deed, as  almost  to  be  distinguished  by  the  naked  eye.  When 
in  captivity,  its  movements  are  slow  and  eel-like,  nor  does  it 
seem  to  make  much  use  of  its  almost  rudimentary  limbs. 

It  has  usually  been  found  on  the  soft  mud  of  a  small  lake  in 
the  grotto  of  Maddalena.  It  is  not  always  present,  and  has 
been  conjectured  to  be  the  inhabitant  of  some  unknown  sub- 
terranean body  of  water,  and  to  have  been  forced  through  the 
crevices  of  the  rocks.  Besides  the  grotto  of  Maddalena  at 
Adelsburg,  they  have  also  been  found  at  Sittich,  thirty  miles 
distant,  thrown  up  from  a  subterranean  cavity. 


412 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Class  V. ...  PISCES. — (Lat.  Fishes.) 

Sub-class  I.  PISCES  OSSEL— (Lat.  bony  fakes.) 

Order  I ACANTHOPTERYGH.—(Gr.   'A/cavflof,   a  thorn; 

irrepvyiov,  a  fin.) 

Sub-order  I.  DACTYLOPHORL — (Gr.  Au«rt>/lof,  a  finger;  <j>cpu,  I  bear.) 
Family  I..  .  Triglidse.— (Gr.  TpiyXa,  a  Mullet) 


Cuctilus  (Lat.  a  Cuckoo),  the  Gurnard. 

As  the  FISHES  live  exclusively  in  the  water,  it  is  necessary 
that  their  organs  of  respiration  should  be  differently  formed 
from  those  of  the  animals  breathing  atmospheric  air.  Instead 
of  the  purification  of  the  blood  being  accomplished  by  the 
contact  of  atmospheric  air  in  the  apparatus  called  lungs,  that 
office  is  performed  by  the  water,  which  passes  into  the  mouth 
of  the  fish,  and  from  thence  out  at  the  gill-covers,  on  its 
way  being  strained  through  the  singular  structure  called  the 
"  gills."  These  gills  are  able  to  extract  from  the  water  suffi- 
cient oxygen  to  purify  the  blood  of  the  fish.  If  the  oxygen 
has  already  been  extracted,  the  fish  instantly  dies.  The  same 
effect  is  produced  if  the  fish  be  so  held  as  to  prevent  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  413 

water  from  flowing  in  the  proper  direction,  so  that  it  is  per- 
fectly possible  to  drown  a  fish  ;  although  L5  Estrange  may  doubt 
the  fact : — 

"And  like  those  sages  that  would  drown  a  fish, 
I  am  condemn'd  to  suffer — what  1  wish." 

Most  anglers  are  perfectly  aware  of  the  power  obtained  by  keep- 
ing the  head  of  a  hooked  fish  down  the  stream. 

The  elongated  form  of  fishes,  and  their  smooth  covering,  af- 
fording but  little  resistance  to  the  water,  beautifully  show  their 
perfect  adaptation  for  the  element  in  which  they  reside. 

Their  rapid  movements  through  the  water  are  principally 
performed  by  means  of  a  lateral  vibration  of  the  tail,  just  as  a 
boat  is  sculled  along  by  a  single  oar  at  the  stern,  or  by  a  con- 
stant vibration  of  the  rudder.*  The  fins  serve  principally  as 
balancers. 

Most  fish  possess  a  singular  organ  called  the  "  swimming- 
bladder."  This  is  a  membranous  pouch,  varying  exceedingly 
in  size  and  shape,  situated  close  under  the  spine,  and  filled  by 
some  means  with  gas,  mostly  found  to  be  nitrogen,  but  in  deep- 
sea-fishes,  an  excess  of  oxygen  is  discovered  to  exist.  The  fish 
seems  to  be  able  to  rise  or  sink  by  means  of  compressing  or 
expanding  this  pouch,  without  being  forced  to  make  use  of  its 
tail  or  fins. 

The  smooth  scaly  covering  with  which  most  fish  are  fur- 
nished, is  admirably  fitted  both  for  defence  against  the  water, 
and  for  enabling  the  fish  to  glide  easily  through  places  where 
a  rough  covering  would  have  held  it  prisoner.  Many  valuable 
characteristics  are  derived  from  the  shape  of  the  scales  in  dif- 
ferent fish.  There  are  four  principal  varieties,  called,  1.  Pla- 
coid,  or  flat  scales ;  2.  Ganoid,  or  polished  scales ;  3.  Ctenoid, 
or  toothed  scales  ;  and  4.  Cycloid,  or  circular  scales.f 

The  Acanthopterygii  are  so  called  from  their  spinous  fin  rays. 
Those  of  the  Perch  are  excellent  examples. 

The  RED  GURNARD,  or  CUCKOO  GURNARD,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called  from  the  sound  it  utters  when  taken  out  of  the  water, 
is  very  common  on  the  English  coast.  It  is  rather  a  small 

*  The  dead  and  mangled  carcase  of  a  flensed  whale  has  been  frequently  known  to 
swim  for  a  considerable  distance  by  the  mere  force  of  the  muscular  movements  of  the 
tail  arter  death. 

t  These  names  are  derived  from,  1. 7rAu<toff,  flat ;  2.  yav6w,  1  polish  ;  3.  KTCIS,  xrtvtt, 
a  comb;  4.  KVK^OS,  a  circle.  The  scales  of  the  1.  Dogfish;  2.  Sturgeon;  3.  Perch;  and 
4.  Carp,  are  excellent  instances  of  the  four  kinds  of  scales. 


414  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

fish,  rarely  exceeding  fourteen  inches  in  length.  The  colours 
of  its  body  when  living  are  very  beautiful,  the  upper  part  being 
bright  red,  and  the  under  parts  silvery  white. 

There  are  nine  species  of  Gurnard  known  to  frequent  the 
coasts  of  England,  some,  as  the  Sapphirine  and  the  Mailed 
Gurnards,  being  most  extraordinary  in  form. 

The  Flying  Gurnard  is  common  in  the  Indian  seas.  Its 
pectoral  fins  are  so  much  enlarged,  that  when  it  springs  out  of 
the  water,  when  pursued  by  the  dolphin  or  bonito,  the  wide 
quivering  fins  are  able  to  sustain  it  in  the  air  for  a  limited 
period. 

This  fish  has  often  been  confounded  by  voyagers  with  the 
true  Flying-fish  (Exocwtus),  which  belongs  to  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent order. 


Sub-order  II.  HOLODACTYLI. — (Gr.  "OAof,  entire,  <5a/crv/lof,  a  finger.) 
Family  IV.  .  .  Percidse. — (Gr.  UepKi),  a  Perch.) 


Fluviatilis  (Lat.  of  the  river),  the  Perch. 

The  COMMON  PERCH  is  well  known  to  anglers  both  as  a 
"  bold  biting  fish,"  and  as  a  fish  that  does  not  yield  up  its  life 
without  endangering  the  person  of  its  captor  ;  for  the  formida- 
ble row  of  spinous  rays  belonging  to  the  first  dorsal  fin  have 
wounded  the  hands  of  many  an  incautious  angler. 

It  is  extremely  voracious,  so  much   so  that  after  all  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  415 

legitimate  bait  has  been  exhausted,  it  is  a  common  practice 
for  the  fisherman  to  place  on  his  hook  the  eyes  of  the  perch 
already  taken,  which  are  as  eagerly  bitten  at,  as  the  worms 
were  formerly.  An  anecdote  is  related  of  a  gentleman  who 
struck  at  a  perch,  but  unfortunately  missed  it,  the  hook  tearing 
out  the  eye  of  the  poor  creature.  He  adjusted  the  eye  on  the 
hook,  and  replaced  the  line  in  the  water,  where  it  had  hardly 
been  a  few  minutes  before  the  float  was  violently  jerked  under 
the  surface.  The  angler  of  course  struck,  and  found  he  had 
captured  a  fine  perch.  This  when  landed  was  discovered  to  be 
the  very  fish  which  had  just  been  mutilated,  and  which  had 
actually  lost  its  life  by  devouring  its  own  eye.  It  is  quaintly 
observed  in  Izaak  Walton,  that  "  if  there  be  twenty  or  forty  in 
a  hole,  they  may  be  at  one  standing  all  caught  one  after  anoth- 
er, they  being  like  the  wicked  of  the  world,  not  afraid  though 
their  fellows  and  companions  perish  in  their  sight." 

The  Perch  seldom  exceeds  two  pounds  and  a  half  in  weight, 
and  a  Perch  weighing  a  pound  and  a  half  is  considered  a  very 
fine  fish. 


Family  XIII.   Scomberidse. — (Gr.  2/c6///3pof,  a  generic  name  for  the 
Tunny.) 


Scombrus  (Latinized  form  of  Z/co/i/Jpof),  the  Mackarel. 

The  elegant  shape  and  resplendent  colours  of  the  MACKAREL 
point  it  out  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  fishes  known.  Nor  is 
it  only  valuable  for  its  beauty,  as  it  is  highly  prized  as  an  arti- 
cle of  food  in  mnst  parts  of  the  world. 


4I«  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Vast  shoals  of  Mackarel  visit  our  coasts,  and  myriads  are 
taken  by  fishermen  both  by  nets  and  with  lines.  The  line  of 
nets  frequently  exceeds  a  mile  in  extent,  and  of  course  the  num- 
ber of  fish  contained  in  this  enormous  net  must  be  beyond  all 
calculation.  On  several  occasions,  the  meshes  of  the  net  were 
completely  choked  up  by  fish  hanging  by  their  gills,  and  the  net 
acted  like  a  dredge,  sweeping  up  myriads  more  fish  in  a  solid 
mass.  In  1808,  the  whole  net  and  its  cargo  sunk,  and  were 
lost  to  the  too  successful  fishermen. 

The  profits  of  the  fishery  vary  exceedingly  ;  sometimes  the 
boats  will  hardly  take  a  single  mackarel,  and  at  other  times, 
or  even  in  different  spots,  the  draught  of  fish  will  nearly  fill  the 
boat.  In  1834,  one  boat  sold  in  one  night  nearly  one  hundred 
pounds'  worth  of  mackarel. 

The  fish  require  to  be  used  soon  after  they  are  taken  out  of 
the  water,  as  the  flesh  is  very  tender,  and  easily  injured  by  ex- 
posure to  the  air,  or  by  carriage  to  any  great  distance. 

When  the  fishermen  employ  the  line  for  the  capture  of  the 
mackarel,  the  hook  is  baited  with  a  strip  cut  from  a  dead  mack- 
arel, and  is  suffered  to  trail  overboard.  The  fish  bite  eagerly 
at  this  cannibal  kind  of  bait,  and  are  frequently  taken  by  bait- 
ing the  hook  with  a  strip  of  scarlet  leather  or  cloth. 


THVN 


Thynnus,  the  Tunny, 

The  TUNNY  is  a  tolerably  large  fish,  averaging  four  feet  in 
length,  and  is  very  common  in  the  Mediterranean.  Large 
fisheries  are  established  during  May  and  June,  at  which 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  417 

season  immense  shoals  of  these  fish  rove  along  the  coast. 
The  most  approved  method  of  fishing  is  by  the  "  madrague  " 
or  "  tonnaro."  A  large  number  of  long  and  deep  nets  are 
placed  along  the  shore,  one  edge  being  fixed  to  the  bottom  of 
the  sea  by  anchors  and  weights,  and  the  other  edge  kept 
at  the  surface  of  the  water  by  corks.  A  wall  is  thus  formed, 
stretching  along  the  coast  for  nearly  a  mile  in  length.  The 
tunnies  swimming  along  the  coast  pass  into  this  net,  and  con- 
tinue their  course  until  they  are  stopped  by  other  nets  placed 
across  the  principal  net,  and  dividing  it  into  chambers.  From 
chamber  to  chamber  the  unfortunate  fishes  are  driven  through 
openings  permitting  their  entrance,  but  preventing  egress,  until 
they  arrive  at  the  last  chamber,  called  significantly  the  "  cham- 
ber of  death."  A  strong  net,  placed  horizontally,  enables  the 
fishermen  to  draw  the  tunnies  to  the  surface,  when  a  showei 
of  blows  from  poles  and  similar  weapons  soon  destroys  the  en- 
tire shoal. 

This  fish  is  not  unfrequently  found  on  the  English  coast. 


XIPHIAS. — (Gr.  Xt0taf,  shaped  like  a  sword ;  the  Sword-fish.) 


Gladius  (Lat.  a  Sword),  the  Sword-fish. 

The  well-known  SWORD-FISH  inhabits  every  part  of  the 
Mediterranean  Sea,  and  has  several  times  been  seen  near  the 
shores  of  England  and  Scotland. 

The  "  sword  "  for  which  this  fish  is  so  famous,  is  an  elon- 
gation of  the  upper  jaw,  of  great  strength,  and  capable  of 
doing  considerable  injury  to  any  object  against  which  it 


118  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

directs  its  attacks.  In  the  British  Museum  is  a  portion  of  the 
bottom  of  a  ship,  pierced  completely  through  by  the  "  sword  " 
of  one  of  these  fish.  Its  unfortunate  owner  must  have  instant- 
ly perished  by  the  shock,  for  the  sword  was  imbedded  almost 
to  its  base,  and  broken  short  off.  In  one  instance,  a  Sword- 
fish  attacked  a  whaling-ship,  and  drove  its  weapon  "  through 
the  copper  sheathing,  an  inch-board  sheathing,  a  three-inch 
plank  of  hard  wood,  the  solid  white  oak  timber  of  the  ship 
twelve  inches  thick,  through  another  two-and-a-half  inch  hard 
oak  ceiling  plank,  and  lastly,  perforated  the  head  of  an  oil 
cask,  where  it  still  remained  immovably  fixed,  so  that  not  a 
single  drop  of  oil  escaped." 

In  the  Mediterranean,  the  fishermen  eagerly  chase  the 
Sword-fish.  The  harpoon  and  line  are  used  much  in  the 
same  manner  as  in  the  whale  fishery.  The  Sicilian  fishermen 
have  a  strange  superstition  that  if  the  Sword-fish  were  to 
hear  a  word  of  Italian,  it  would  instantly  dive  and  escape 
them.  They  therefore  restrict  their  vocal  sounds  to  an  un- 
intelligible chant.  It  is  said  that  the  whale  is  an  object  of 
particular  enmity  to  the  Sword-fish,  and  that  ships  are  struck 
by  it,  being  mistaken  for  whales. 

The  length  of  this  fish  is  usually  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
feet.  It  is  said  to  feed  principally  on  tunnies,  pursuing  the 
shoals,  and  transfixing  the  fish  with  its  sword. 


THE    JOHN   DORY. 

The  JOHN  DORY,  rendered  illustrious  by  duin  the  comedian, 
who  was  not  less  known  for  his  comic  powers  than  for  his  love 
of  good  living,  is  found  plentifully  off  the  coasts  of  Cornwall 
and  Devonshire.  The  derivation  of  its  name  is  not  quite  cer- 
tain, but  in  all  probability  it  is  derived  from  the  French,  d&ree, 
or  golden,  in  allusion  to  its  peculiar  golden  yellow  colour. 

Traditions  vary  as  to  the  spots  so  conspicuous  on  its  side. 
Some  strenuously  assert  that  this  was  the  fish  caught  by  St. 
Peter  when  he  took  the  tribute-money  out  of  its  mouth,  and 
upon  whose  sides  the  marks  of  his  finger  and  thumb  were 
left.  The  Haddock,  however,  vies  with  the  Dory  for  this 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Family  XIV.   Zeida?.— (Gr.  Zevf,  Jupiter.) 


Faber  (Lat.  a  Workman  ;  sometimes  used  for  the  fish),  the  John  Dory. 

honour.  Other  traditions  are  quite  as  vigorous  in  their  asser- 
tion, that  St.  Christopher  produced  these  marks  while  crossing 
an  arm  of  the  sea,  bearing  the  Saviour  in  his  arms. 


Family  XVII.  Syngnathidse.— (Gr.  2w,  together ;  -yvu6of,  the  jaw.) 
HIPPOCAMPUS. — (Gr.  'iTTTro/ca^Trof,  a  Sea-horse.) 


Brevirostris  (Lat.  short-beaked),  the  Sea-horse. 

The  singular  fish  called  the  SEA-HORSE  has  often  been  found 
off  the  southern  coasts  of  England.     The  habits  of  this  fish 


420  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

are  very  singular  and  interesting.  A  pair  were  kept  alive  for 
some  time  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  exhibited  considerable  activity 
and  intelligence.  They  swam  about  with  an  undulating  kind 
of  movement,  and  frequently  twined  their  tails  round  the 
weeds  placed  in  their  prison.  Their  eyes  moved  independent- 
ly of  each  other,  as  those  of  the  chameleon,  and  the  change- 
able tints  of  the  head  closely  resemble  that  animal. 

More  than  once,  these  curious  fish  have  been  seen  curled  up 
in  oyster  shells. 

The  singular  creatures  called  Pipe-fish  also  belong  to  the 
Syngnathidae. 


Family  XXIL    Echeneldce. — (Gr.  'E^ev^tf ;  from  lxu>  I  hold;  vavf,  a 
ship.) 

KOHF.NETS. 


Remora  (Lat.  properly  a  delay),  the  Sucking-jinh. 

The  REMORA,  or  SUCKING-FISH,  is  remarkable  for  the  pecu- 
liar apparatus  situated  on  the  upper  part  of  its  head.  By  this 
it  can  adhere  to  any  object  so  firmly  that  it  is  a  difficult  mat- 
ter to  make  it  loose  its  hold.  It  is  often  found  adhering  to 
large  fish  or  to  the  bottoms  of  ships,  probably  in  both  instances 
for  the  sake  of  the  fragments  of  food  rejected  by  the  one,  or 
thrown  overboard  from  the  other. 

The  older  writers  on  Natural  History  fully  believed  that  one 
Remora  had  the  power  of  arresting  the  swiftest  ship  in  its 
course,  and  fixing  it  firmly  in  the  same  spot  in  spite  of  spread 
canvass  and  swift  gales.  As  the  Remora  is  about  the  same 
size  as  a  herring,  our  ancestors  naturally  considered  this  a  very 
curious  circumstance,  and  wrote  no  few  poems  on  the  subject. 
The  following  true  account  of  this  fish  is  extracted  from  Mac- 
gillivray's  Voyage  of  the  Rattle-snake  : — 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  421 

"  Small  fish  appeared  to  abound  at  this  anchorage  (the 
Calvados  group  of  islands).  I  had  never  before  seen  the 
Sucking-fish  (Echeneis  remora)  so  plentiful  as  at  that  place ; 
they  caused  much  annoyance  to  our  fishermen  by  carrying 
off  baits  and  hooks,  and  appeared  always  on  the  alert,  darting 
out  in  a  body  of  twenty  or  more  from  under  the  ship's  bottom 
when  any  offal  was  thrown  overboard.  Being  quite  a  nui- 
sance, and  useless  as  food,  Jack  often  treated  them  as  he  would 
a  shark,  by  sprit-sail  yarding,  or  some  less  refined  mode  of 
torture.  One  day,  some  of  us  while  walking  the  poop  had 
our  attention  directed  to  a  sucking-fish  about  two  and  a  half 
feet  in  length,  which  had  been  made  fast  by  the  tail  to  a  billet 
of  wood  by  a  fathom  or  so  of  spun  yarn,  and  so  turned  adrift. 
An  immense  striped  shark,  apparently  about  fourteen  feet 
in  length,  which  had  been  cruising  about  the  ship  all  the 
morning,  sailed  slowly  up,  and  turning  slightly  on  one  side, 
attempted  to  seize  the  apparently  helpless  fish,  but  the  sucker 
with  great  dexterity  made  himself  fast  in  a  moment  to  the 
shark's  back.  OfT  darted  the  monster  at  full  speed,  the  sucker 
holding  fast  as  a  limpet  to  a  rock,  and  the  billet  towing  astern. 
He  then  rolled  over  and  over,  tumbling  about ;  when,  wearied 
with  his  efforts,  he  lay  quiet  for  a  little.  Seeing  the  float,  the 
shark  got  it  into  his  mouth,  and  disengaging  the  sucker  by  a 
tug  on  the  line,  made  a  bolt  at  the  fish ;  but  his  puny  antago- 
nist was  again  too  quick,  and,  fixing  himself  close  behind  the 
dorsal  fin,  defied  the  efforts  of  the  shark  to  disengage  him,  al- 
though he  rolled  over  and  over,  lashing  the  water  with  his  tail 
until  it  foamed  all  around.  What  the  final  result  was,  we 
could  not  clearly  make  out." 


THE    ANGLER. 

The  ANGLER,  or  FISHING  FROG,  as  it  is  more  generally 
called,  is  not  uncommon  in  all  the  European  seas.  The  pe- 
culiar formation  of  its  pectoral  fins  enables  it  to  crawl  for  some 
distance  on  land. 

On  its  head  are  two  elongated  bony  appendages,  curiously 
articulated  to  the  skull,  and  capable  of  movement  in  any 
direction.  The  Angler  couches  close  to  the  bottom  of  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Family  XXIII.  Lophiidse.— (Gr.  Ao^of,  a  crest.) 


Piscatonus  (Lat.  fishing},  the  Angler. 

sea,  and  by  the  movement  of  its  pectoral  fins  stirs  up  the  sand 
and  mud,  and  agitates  the  bony  appendages  amid  the  turbid 
cloud  produced.  The  small  fishes,  observing  the  muddy  water, 
and  taking  the  filaments  for  worms,  approach  to  seize  them, 
and  are  instantly  engulphed  in  the  capacious  jaws  of  the  crafty 
Angler. 

The  voracity  of  the  Angler  is  so  great,  that  when  caught  in 
a  net  together  with  other  fish,  it  generally  devours  some  of  its 
'fellow-prisoners — a  useless  act,  for  the  fishermen  mostly  open 
its  stomach  and  recapture  the  flounders  and  other  fish  found  in 
its  interior. 


THE    CARP. 

The  Malacopterygian  fishes  have  their  fin  membranes  sup- 
ported by  flexible  rays.  The  Abdominal  Malacopterygii  have 
their  ventral  fins  situated  on  the  belly,  without  any  connexion 
with  the  bones  of  the  shoulder. 

The  COMMON  CARP  is  a  well-known  inhabitant  of  our  ponds, 
lakes,  and  sluggish  rivers.  It  is  a  very  shy  and  wary  fish 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  423 

Order  II. ...  MALACOPTERYGII.—(G\:  MaAa/co'f,  soft;  irrepiyiov, 

a  fin.) 

Sub-order  I.  ABDOMINALIA. — (Lat.  belonging  to  the  abdomen.) 
Family  I Cyprinidse. — (Gr.  Kvnplvof,  a  Carp.) 


Carpio  (Lat.),  the  Carp. 

rejecting  one  day  a  bait  which  had  been  freely  taken  the  day 
previous.* 

It  lives  to  a  great  age,  and  when  very  old  its  scales  turn  grey 
just  as  human  hairs  do.  In  several  places  in  France  numbers 
of  Carp  were  kept  until  they  attained  an  enormous  size.  These 
great  sluggish  fish  were  accustomed  to  come  to  the  water's 
edge  in  order  to  be  fed  at  the  call  of  their  keeper.  Feeding  the 
Carp  was  almost  a  hereditary  amusement  of  the  latter  kings  of 
France. 

Very  few  fish  are  so  tenacious  of  life  as  the  Carp.  It  is  the 
custom  in  Holland  to  keep  these  fish  in  nets  filled  with  wet 
moss.  They  are  fed  with  bread  and  milk,  and  are  preserved 
in  health  by  frequent  immersion  in  water,  in  order  to  keep  the 
moss  thoroughly  wet. 

Two  or  three  pounds  is  the  average  weight  of  a  good  Carp, 
but  individuals  have  been  known  weighing  upwards  of  eigh- 

*  In  1847,  white  fishing  in  a  small  pond  near  Oxford,  T  took  in  one  hour  six  or 
seven  carp,  weighing  from  half  a  pound  to  nearly  three  pounds  each.  A  few  days 
afterwards,  although  the  weather  was  equally  propitious,  the  carp  were  not,  and  the 
whole  day  was  spent  without  even  a  bite. 


424 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


teen  pounds.  It  is  enormously  prolific,  as  the  roe  of  one 
female  weighing  nine  pounds  was  found  to  contain  six  hundred 
thousand  eggs.  Of  course  comparatively  few  of  these  eggs 
arrive  at  maturity,  by  far  the  greater  number  being  eaten  by 
other  fish. 


Barbus  (Lat  Barba,  a  beard),  the  Barbel. 
Auratus  (Lat  gilded),  the  Gold-fish. 

The  GOLD-FISH  or  GOLDEN  CARP,  is  another  species  of  the 
genus  Cyprinus.  It  was  originally  brought  from  China,  about 
two  hundred  years  since,  when  it  was  considered  a  great  curi- 
osity ;  now,  however,  it  is  quite  common,  and  is  found  to  live 
in  ponds  even  when  the  surface  of  the  water  is  thickly  covered 
with  ice.  The  ponds  in  Christ  Church  College,  and  the  Bo- 
tanic Gardens,  Oxford,  are  thickly  populated  with  these  beau- 
tiful fish,  which  increase  with  the  most  marvellous  rapidity. 
The  pond  in  the  centre  of  the  Clarendon  Printing  Office  was 
stocked  with  these  fish,  and  as  the  spare  water  from  the  steam- 
engine  used  in  the  works  passed  into  the  pond,  they  throve 
amazingly.  One  unfortunate  morning,  the  surface  of  the  pond 
was  covered  with  Golden  Carp,  all  floating  dead.  Some  verdi- 
gris had  formed  in  some  part  of  the  engine,  had  been  washed 
into  the  pond,  and  had  poisoned  all  its  finny  inhabitants. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  425 

The  BARBEL  is  found  in  most  of  the  European  rivers.  Its 
flesh  is  coarse  and  unsavoury,  but  it  is  eagerly  sought  after  by 
anglers,  as  the  spirit  and  vigour  displayed  by  it  when  hooked 
afford  fine  sport.  It  is  peculiarly  clever  at  breaking  the  line, 
a  feat  sometimes  accomplished  by  a  violent  blow  of  the  tail, 
and  sometimes  by  contriving  to  twist  the  line  round  a  root  or 
post,  and  giving  a  sudden  jerk. 

It  feeds  principally  on  larvsB  and  molluscs,  inhabiting  the 
banks,  and  obtains  them  by  rooting  in  the  sand  with  its  snout. 
The  barbels,  or  beards,  hanging  from  the  upper  jaw,  doubtless 
assist  in  these  investigations.  It  frequently  grows  to  a  very 
great  size,  weighing  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  pounds,  and  mea- 
suring upwards  of  three  feet  in  length.  Many  are  captured 
by  nets  during  the  summer,  at  which  season  they  frequent  the 
weedy  parts  of  the  river  in  shoals  ;  but  in  winter  they  retire  to 
the  shelter  afforded  by  banks  and  old  woodwork.  Several 
good  swimmers  have  been  known  to  dive  after  the  Barbel,  as 
they  lay  pressed  against  the  banks,  and  to  bring  up  one  each 
time,  not  unfrequently  appearing  with  two,  one  in  each  hand. 


THE    GUDGEON    AND    BREAM. 

The  ease  with  which  the  GUDGEON  is  taken  has  passed  into 
a  proverb.  This  pretty  little  fish  is  usually  found  in  shallow 
parts  of  rivers,  where  the  bottom  is  gravelly.  If  the  gravel  is 
stirred  up,  the  Gudgeons  immediately  flock  to  the  place,  and  a 
worm  suspended  amid  the  turbid  water  is  eagerly  snapped  at 
by  them.  The  fishermen  usually  take  them  in  nets,  and  keep 
them  alive  in  well-boats.  They  are  largely  purchased  as  baits 
for  trolling. 

The  flesh  of  the  Gudgeon  is  particularly  delicate,  and  al- 
though its  length  rarely  exceeds  seven  inches,  yet  from  the 
ease  with  which  numbers  can  be  obtained,  it  forms  by  no 
means  a  dish  to  be  despised. 

The  BREAM  is  very  common  on  the  Continent,  but  in  En- 
gland is  only  found  in  certain  rivers  and  lakes,  such  as  the 


426  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

GOBIO. — (Lat.  a  Crudgeon.) 


ABRAMIS. — (Gr.  'A/3pa/«f,  a  Bream.) 


Fluviatilis  (Lat  of  the  river),  the  Gudgeon. 

Brama  (Lat.),  the  Bream. 

Medway  and  Trent,  and  the  lakes  of  Cumberland  and  "West- 
moreland. It  is  also  found  in  the  lakes  of  Ireland. 

The  breadth  of  the  Bream  is  greater  in  proportion  to  its 
length  than  that  of  most  fishes.  It  affords  excellent  sport  to 
the  angler,  biting  readily  and  resisting  vigorously  when  hooked. 
The  most  approved  method  of  catching  these  fish  is  by  prepar- 
ing the  spot  with  ground  bait  for  a  day  or  two  previous ;  the 
Bream  then  assemble  in  numbers  and  bite  freely  at  a  bait.  In 
Ireland  the  Bream  taken  were  accustomed  to  be  given  to  the 
poor,  who  split  and  salted  them  for  winter  provision. 

Its  length  rarely  exceeds  ten  or  twelve  inches,  nor  is  it  of 
any  value  for  the  table. 


THE    TENCH. 

The  habits  of  the  TENCH  are  not  unlike  those  of  the  carp, 
•excepting  that  it  seems  even  more  sluggish  than  that  fish, 
tt  especially  delights  in  muddy  banks  of  ponds,  where  the 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
TINCA.— (Lat.  a  Tench.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Tench. 

weeds  grow  thickly.  Roget  gives  an  account  of  a  Tench  that 
had  been  taken  out  of  a  pond  almost  filled  up  with  stones  and 
rubbish,  and  which  had  actually  grown  into  the  shape  of  the 
hole  where  it  had  been  confined,  evidently  for  many  years. 
The  weight  of  that  fish  was  eleven  pounds  nine  ounces.  Four 
hundred  tench  and  as  many  perch  were  also  taken  out  of 
the  same  pond.  This  fish  is  even  more  tenacious  of  life  than 
the  carp. 


THE  ROACH   AND  DACE. 

The  ROACH  is  very  common  in  most  rivers  in  England,  and 
is  generally  spread  over  the  temperate  parts  of  Europe.  It 
is  by  no  means  a  large  fish,  rarely  exceeding  two  pounds  in 
weight,  and  but  seldom  attaining  that  size.  These  fish  usually 
live  in  small  shoals,  and  pass  from  one  part  of  the  river  to 
another. 

The  Roach  is  not  unlike  the  Dace,  but  may  be  easily  dis- 
tinguished by  its  bright  red  ventral  fins,  those  of  the  dace  being 
silvery  white.  It  is  rather  a  favourite  with  anglers,  as  it  bites 
or  rather  nibbles  at  the  bait  in  such  a  dainty  and  delicate  man- 
ner, that  the  disappointed  fisherman  not  unfrequently  finds 
the  bait  gone  without  the  movement  of  his  float  betraying  the 


428  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

LEDCISCUS. — (Gr.AevK.iaK.oe ;  from  Aev/c6f,  white.) 


Rutflus  (Lat.  shining  red),  the  Hooch. 
Leuciscus,  the  Dace. 

theft.  A  quick  eye  and  a  dexterous  hand  are  required  for  this 
sport.  The  float  is  so  balanced  as  barely  to  appear  above  the 
surface  of  the  water,  for,  unlike  the  perch,  that  dashes  at  the 
bait  and  boldly  jerks  the  float  at  once  under  water,  the  Roach 
does  little  more  than  swim  under  the  bait  as  far  as  it  can,  and 
then  just  gives  a  gentle  nibble,  repeating  the  process  until  the 
bait  has  entirely  left  the  hook. 

The  habits  of  the  DACE  are  so  similar  to  those  of  the  Roach 
as  to  need  but  little  description.  It  is  usually  found  wher- 
ever the  roach  resides,  and,  like  that  fish,  swims  in  shoals. 
It  makes  an  excellent  bait  for  trolling,  as  the  silvery  white- 
ness of  its  scales  renders  it  a  conspicuous  object,  and  serves 
to  attract  the  pike.  It  seldom  exceeds  nine  or  ten  inches  in 
length. 

The  BLEAK  and  the  MINNOW  both  belong  to  the  genus  Leu- 
ciscus. The  former  fish  is  remarkable  for  the  use  made  of  its 
scales,  which  when  washed  in  water  deposit  a  powder  much 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  artificial  pearls. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


1 


Cephalus  (Gr.  Ktya/lof,  a  large-headed  fish), 

The  CHUB  is  also  common  in  most  of  our  rivers.  It  affords 
good  sport  to  the  angler,  both  with  a  fly  and  with  a  bait. 

The  usual  bait  employed  is  a  cockchaffer,  which,  when  fas- 
tened to  the  hook  and  artistically  made  to  dance  on  the  surface 
of  the  water,  is  a  temptation  that  few  Chub  can  resist.  This 
method  of  fishing  is  termed  "  dibbing,"  and  the  peculiar  move- 
ment is  communicated  to  the  bait  by  tapping  the  butt  end  of 
the  rod,  while  the  cockchaffer  or  moth  just  rests  on  the  surface 
of  the  water. 

Its  flesh  is  very  coarse,  and  requires  some  skill  on  the  part 
of  the  cook  to  make  it  fit  for  the  table.  Its  weight  rarely  ex- 
ceeds five  pounds,  but  it  is  very  powerful,  and  requires  a  strong 
line  and  skilful  management  on  the  part  of  the  angler.* 

*  A  well-known  piscator  at  Oxford,  while  fishing  with  a  fly  from  a  small  skiff, 
succeeded  in  hooking  a  Chub,  apparently  weighing  about  four  pounds,  which  actually 
towed  him  up  and  down  stream  for  some  time,  until  the  line,  not  calculated  for  Chub, 
snapped,  and  the  fish  of  course  escaped. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
Family  II.   Esocidse. — (Lat.  Esox,  a  Pike.) 


Lucius  (Lat.  a  Pike),  the  Pike. 

This  fierce  and  voracious  fish  is  now  common  in  most  rivers 
and  lakes  in  England,  although  it  was  formerly  so  rare  as  to 
be  rated  at  ten  times  the  value  of  turbot. 

It  affords  much  sport  to  anglers,  who  generally  employ  a 
method  of  fishing  called  "  trolling."  A  gudgeon,  roach,  or 
large  minnow  is  so  fixed  to  a  number  of  formidable  hooks, 
that  when  drawn  through  the  water,  it  spins  rapidly  round, 
and  attracts  the  notice  of  the  watchful  PIKE,  who  dashes  at 
the  glittering  bait  with  a  violence  that  jars  the  rod  down  to 
the  very  butt.  Off  swims  the  pike  to  his  place  of  concealment, 
leisurely  turns  the  head  of  the  bait  downwards,  and  swallows 
it.  Now,  to  swallow  the  fish  is  easy  enough,  but  the  array  of 
barbed  hooks  proves  an  effectual  obstacle  to  the  endeavours  of 
the  Pike  to  get  rid  of  the  unwelcome  morsel  as  soon  as  the  an- 
gler jerks  the  line,  and  gives  the  Pike  to  understand  that  hooks 
have  points.  The  deluded  Pike  now  endeavours  to  break  the 
line,  but  a  good  fisherman  foils  all  his  efforts,  and  at  last  lands 
him,  wearied  and  bleeding,  but  ferocious  to  the  last. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  431 

The  method  of  fishing  for  Pike  called  "  trimming"  is  hardly 
worth  mention.  A  line  baited  with  living  fish  is  fastened  to  a 
float,  and  suffered  to  lie  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  The  Pike, 
seeing  the  bait  swimming  about,  dashes  at  it  and  hooks  itself 
in  the  effort. 

This  fish  varies  in  size  from  two  or  three  pounds'  weight  to 
twenty  or  thirty,  but  a  Pike  weighing  fifteen  pounds  is  con- 
sidered a  very  fine  fish.  Above  that  weight  they  are  almost 
useless  for  the  table.  A  Pike  weighing  less  than  two  pounds 
is  called  a  jack.* 

The  appetite  of  this  fish  is  almost  insatiable.  Mr.  Jesse 
threw  to  one  Pike  of  five  pounds'  weight,  four  roach,  each 
about  four  inches  in  length,  which  it  devoured  instantly,  and 
swallowed  a  fifth  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Moor-hens, 
ducks,  and  even  swans  have  been  known  to  fall  a  prey  to  this 
voracious  fish,  its  long  teeth  effectually  keeping  them  prisoners 
under  water  until  drowned. 


THE   FLYING-FISH. 
I 

This  fish,  so  celebrated  in  most  books  of  voyages,  is  found 
in  the  warmer  latitudes,  but  has  several  times  been  seen  off 
our  coasts.  The  so-called  "  flight"  is  very  similar  to  that  of 
the  flying  squirrels  and  dragons,  the  fish  merely  springing 
out  of  the  water  with  a  violent  impetus,  and  sustaining  itself 
in  the  air  by  means  of  its  enormous  pectoral  fins.  It  is  not 
able  to  alter  its  course  while  in  the  air,  nor  to  rise  a  second 
time  without  repeating  its  course  through  the  water.  The 
reader  will  notice  the  remarkable  fact,  that  individuals  of  three 
wingless  classes,  the  Mammalia,  the  Reptiles,  and  the  Fishes, 
have  each  the  power  of  sustaining  themselves  in  the  air. 

The  "flight"  of  this  fish  seldom  exceeds  two  hundred  yards. 
The  unfortunate  creatures  are  pursued  in  the  water  by  "  Dora- 
dos," erroneously  called  dolphins,  and  other  fishes  of  prey.  To 
escape  their  finny  tyrants,  they  spring  into  the  air,  and  for  a 
while  escape.  But  the  gulls  and  albatroses  are  on  the  watch, 

*  In  the  Ashmolean  Museum  at  Oxford  is  a  Pike  weighing  thirty  pounds,  that  was 
taken  in  the  lake  at  Blenheim  Park. 


432  NATURAL   HISTORY 

ExocffiTtis. — (Gr.  'E£okotrof,  sleeping  out  [of  the  sea].)* 


Volltans  (Lat.  flying),  the  Flying-fish. 

and  pounce  on  the  FLYING -FISH  from  above,  so  that  the  perse- 
cuted creatures  are  tolerably  sure  to  fall  a  prey  to  one  or  the 
other  of  their  foes. 

The  usual  height  of  flight  is  about  two  or  three  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  water,  but  it  has  frequently  been  known  to 
exceed  fourteen  feet,  and  in  one  instance  a  Flying-fish  came 
skimming  into  the  ports  of  a  large  man-of-war,  nearly  twenty 
feet  above  the  water. 

The  size  of  the  fish  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  a  herring. 
Sailors  are  always  glad  to  capture  it,  as  its  flesh  proves  an 
agreeable  change  from  the  eternal  salt  junk,  by  which  the  power 
of  the  sailor's  teeth  is  woefully  tried. 

The  food  of  this  fish  is  molluscs  and  small  fishes. 


THE   SALMON. 

The  SALMON  is  a  migratory  fish,  annually  leaving  the  sea, 
its  proper  residence,  and  proceeding  for  many  miles  up  rivers 
for  the  purpose  of  depositing  its  spawn.  This  duty  having 

*  The  ancients  believed  that  this  and  other  fishes  slept  on  the  beach. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Family  IV.  Salmonidse. 
SALMO. — (Lat.  a  Salmon.) 


Salar, 

been  accomplished,  it  returns  to  the  sea  in  the  spring.  The 
perseverance  of  this  fish  in  working  its  way  up  the  stream  is 
perfectly  wonderful.  No  stream  is  rapid  enough  to  daunt  it, 
nor  is  it  even  checked  by  falls.  These  it  surmounts  by  spring- 
ing out  of  the  water,  fairly  passing  over  the  fall.  Heights  of 
fouteeen  or  fifteen  feet  are  constantly  leaped  by  this  powerful 
fish,  and  when  it  has  arrived  at  the  higher  and  shallower  parts 
of  the  river,  it  scoops  furrows  in  the  gravelly  bottom,  and  there 
deposits  its  spawn.  The  young,  called  "  fry,"  are  hatched 
about  March,  and  immediately  commence  their  retreat  to  the 
sea.  By  the  end  of  May  the  young  salmon,  now  called  "  smolts," 
have  almost  entirely  deserted  the  rivers,  and  in  June  not  one  is 
to  be  found  in  fresh  water.  Small  Salmon  weighing  less  than 
two  pounds  are  termed  "  salmon  peel,"  all  above  that  weight 
are  called  "  grilse." 

The  havoc  wrought  among  Salmon  by  foes  of  every  descrip- 
tion is  so  enormous,  that  notwithstanding  the  great  fecundity 
of  the  fish,  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise  that  so  many  escape  des- 
truction ;  for  although  the  fish  are  preserved  from  their  human 
foes  by  many  stringent  regulations,  yet  other  foes,  such  as  otters, 
who  devour  the  large  fish,  and  other  fish  who  devour  the  spawn, 
have  but  little  respect  for  laws  and  regulations. 


«1  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

While  in  the  rivers,  multitudes  of  Salmon  are  annually 
caught,  usually  by  stake  nets,  which  are  capable  of  confining 
an  immense  number  of  fish  at  one  time.  Salmon  spearing 
is  a  favourite  amusement.  This  animated  and  exciting  sport 
is  usually  carried  on  by  torch-light.  The  torches,  when  held 
close  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  illumine  the  depths  of  the 
river,  and  render  every  fish  within  its  influence  perfectly 
visible.  The  watchful  spearman,  guided  by  slight  indications 
bearing  no  meaning  to  an  unpracticed  eye,  darts  his  unerr- 
ing spear,  and  brings  up  in  triumph  the  glittering  captive, 
writhing  in  vain  among  the  barbed  points.  In  the  northern 
rivers  this  destructive  pursuit  is  carried  on  to  a  great  extent, 
more  than  a  hundred  salmon  being  frequently  taken  in  an  even- 
ing. Anglers  also  find  considerable  sport  in  using  the  fly  for 
this  beautiful  and  active  fish,  whose  strength  makes  it  no  mean 
antagonist. 


Fario  (Lat.  the  Trw.it.} 

The  COMMON  TROUT  is  found  in  many  rivers  in  this  coun- 
try, always  preferring  rapid,  shallow,  and  sparkling  streams,. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  435 

especially  if  there  should  be  little  falls  at  intervals.  The  Der- 
went  and  the  Dove  are  particularly  famous  for  their  trout. 
The  latter  river  is  quite  the  beau  ideal  of  a  trout  stream.  It 
never  seems  to  know  its  own  mind  for  half  a  mile  together. 
Sometimes  it  is  rapid,  frisking  over  stones  and  round  trees,  and 
throwing  up  the  sparkling  foam  in  all  direetions.  Presently  it 
has  changed  into  a  silent,  slow,  melancholy  river,  with  dark 
pools  of  unknown  depth,  shaded  by  overhanging  trees,  and 
suggestive  of  murders  successfully  concealed.  Everywhere 
are  the  trout.  Lying  quietly  under  the  shelter  of  some  large 
stone,  while  the  water  is  leaping  round  them,  are  the  moder- 
ate sized  trout,  darting  off  like  meteors  to  snatch  at  a  passing 
fly,  and  as  quickly  returning  to  their  concealment.  In  the 
deeper  pools  are  the  large  fish,  who,  too  sagacious  to  be  de- 
ceived by  the  artfully  made  fly  of  the  professed  angler,  yet 
often  fall  victims  to  the  less  scientific  but  more  successful 
ploughboy.* 

The  usual  method  of  fishing  for  trout  is  with  a  fly,  but 
trolling  with  a  minnow  is  often  successfully  used,  nor  does  the 
trout  reject  a  well-selected  and  properly  arranged  worm. 

The  brilliant  speckled  tints  of  this  beautiful  fish  vary  much 
according  to  the  locality  and  the  time  of  year.  '  In  May  the 
fish  assume  their  brightest  colours  and  their  most  delicate 
flavour.  The  size  of  the  fish  also  varies  exceedingly,  being 
from  half  a  pound  in  weight  and  about  eight  inches  in  length, 
to  ten  or  fifteen  pounds  weight. 

The  Smelt  belongs  to  this  family,  and  in  its  progress  to  the 
sea  is  destroyed  in  great  quantities  in  mill-ponds,  &c. 

*  Several  of  my  schoolboy  years  were  spent  near  the  banks  of  the  Dove,  which 
river,  of  course,  formed  one  of  our  favourite  haunts.  We  were  accustomed  to  take 
the  large  trout  by  the  rather  unsportsmanlike,  but  very  amusing  method  of  "  tickling." 
It  was  excessively  amusing  to  watch  the  angry  countenances  of  London  anglers, 
"who  came  to  the  Dove  bedizened  with  all  the  appurtenances  of  rods,  lines,  baskets, 
&c.,  and  who,  after  whipping  the  water  most  perseveringly  for  the  whole  morning 
without  a  single  bite,  while  resting  their  tired  arms,  saw  the  country  boys  seated  on 
the  bank,  armed  with  a  long  stick  and  a  line  barely  two  feet  long,  adding  every 
minute  to  the  heap  of  glittering  fishes  at  their  side. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 
Family  V.  Clupeldse. — (Lat.  Clupea,  a  Herring.) 

CLUPEA. 


Pilchardus  (Lat.  the  Pilchard). 

The  value  of  the  HERRING  family  to  man  is  almost  incalcu- 
lable The  PILCHARD  and  the  Herring  are  very  similar  in  ap- 
pearance, but  may  be  easily  known  by  the  position  of  the 
dorsal  fin,  which  in  the  Pilchard  is  so  exactly  in  the  centre 
of  the  body,  'that  if  the  fish  is  held  by  it,  the  body  exactly 
balances  ;  while  in  the  herring,  the  dorsal  fin  is  placed  rather 
backwards,  so  that  when  suspended,  the  fish  hangs  with  its 
head  downwards. 

Unlike  the  herring,  which  visits  every  part  of  our  coasts, 
the  Pilchard  is  only  found  on  the  shores  of  Devonshire  and 
Cornwall.  Here,  however,  the  enormous  shoals  that  annually 
make  their  appearance,  fully  compensate  for  the  limited  space 
occupied  by  them.  Occasionally  a  few  shoals  are  seen  on  the 
southern  coast  of  Ireland.  The  coasts  of  France  and  Spain 
are  tolerably  frequent  resorts  of  this  fish. 

The  fish  are  usually  taken  in  an  enormous  building  of  nets, 
called  "  scan  nets."  The  nets  used  in  the  sean  fishery  are  two, 
a  large  net  called  the  "  stop  sean,"  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
length,  and  a  hundred  feet  in  depth ;  and  a  smaller  net,  called 
the  "  tuck  sean,"  about  a  furlong  in  length,  and  a  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  in  depth,  the  average  value  of  the  two  nets  being 
5001. 

"When  the  fishermen  see  a  shoal  of  pilchards  approaching, 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  437 

they  immediately  set  out  in  two  fishing  boats,  one  of  which 
carries  the  tuck  scan  and  the  other  the  stop  scan.  Guided 
by  signs  from  the  master-seamen,  they  silently  surround  the 
shoal  with  the  nets,  the  larger  of  which  is  used  to  enclose 
a  large  number  of  fish,  and  the  smaller  to  pass  within  the 
other  net  to  bring  the  mass  of  fish  into  a  small  compass,  and 
finally  to  prevent  them  from  escaping  until  the  fishermen  have 
leisure  to  remove  them  to  the  boats. 

When  landed,  the  pilchards  are  taken  to  the  store  houses, 
salted,  and  after  remaining  in  heaps  for  five  or  six  days,  are 
pressed  into  casks  by  powerful  levers.  During  the  pressure, 
which  lasts  about  a  fortnight,  fresh  layers  of  fish  being  added 
as  the  former  are  pressed  close,  an  abundance  of  excellent  oil 
escapes  from  holes  made  in  the  cask  for  the  purpose.  The 
entire  refuse  of  the  fish,  consisting  of  the  superabundant  salt,  the 
scales  and  other  rejected  portions,  is  sold  to  the  farmers  as  a 
valuable  manure.  The  refuse  of  each  pilchard  is  calculated  to 
manure  one  square  foot  of  land. 


Harengus  (Lat.  the  Herring). 

The  HERRING  makes  its  annual  appearance  in  the  northern 
parts  of  Scotland  about  June.  This  most  valuable  fish  arrives 
in  enormous  shoals,  five  or  six  miles  in  length  and  three  or 
four  in  breadth.  Their  advent  is  heralded  by  various  sea 
birds,  such  as  the  gannets  and  gulls,  which  constantly  hover 


438  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

over  the  shoals  and  commit  unceasing  devastation  among  them. 
Yet  in  spite  of  the  myriads  destroyed  by  birds  and  fishes,  in 
spite  of  the  shoals  captured  by  man,  in  spite  of  the  vast  quan- 
tity of  spawn  devoured  by  other  fishes,  their  numbers  seem 
quite  undiminished,  and  each  year  they  are  led  by  the  instinct 
inculcated  in  them  by  Providence,  to  visit  the  shore  in  incal- 
culable numbers,  not  only  to  yield  to  man  an  unfailing  supply, 
but  to  make  the  necessary  provision  for  the  increase  of  their 
number. 

The  fishery  is  conducted  by  boats  and  nets,  the  whole 
fitting  up  of  each  boat  costing  little  less  than  1000Z.  To 
add  to  the  expense,  the  whole  apparatus  must  be  renewed 
every  four  or  five  years,  as  independently  of  the  injuries  inflict- 
ed by  the  sea  and  the  weight  of  fish,  the  dog-fish,  which 
unremittingly  follows  the  shoals  of  herrings,  is  often  entangled 
in  the  nets  together  with  its  intended  victims,  and  by  its 
sharp  teeth  and  vigorous  struggles  makes  sad  ravages  among 
the  nets. 

When  taken  out  of  the  water,  the  herring  dies  almost 
immediately,  as  do  all  fish  that  live  near  the  surface  of  the 
water.  Those  on  the  contrary,  as  the  carp,  tench,  eels  and 
the  flat  fish,  who  reside  at  the  bottom,  are  able  to  sustain 
life  for  a  much  longer  period  when  taken  out  of  their  native 
element.  It  is  therefore  necessary  that  the  herrings  should 
be  cured  as  soon  as  possible.  The  "  White  Herring"  are 
cured  in  the  boats,  but  the  "  Red  Herrings"  are  taken  on 
shore  and  suspended  in  the  smoke  of  a  wood  fire  for  twenty- 
four  hours  in  addition  to  the  salting  that  both  they  and  the 
White  Herring  undergo. 

The  well-known  SPRAT  (Clupea  Sprattus)  also  belongs  to 
the  genus  Clupea,  and,  like  the  herring,  visits  our  shores  in 
large  shoals.  The  Sprat  fishery  commences  in  the  beginning 
of  November.  Not  only  are  enormous  quantities  of  this  small 
but  useful  fish  used  as  food,  and  sent  into  all  parts  of  this 
country,  but  they  are  very  largely  used  as  manure ;  fish,  ac- 
cording to  the  researches  of  Sir  H.  Davy,  being  a  most  power- 
ful manure,  retaining  its  fertilising  influence  for  a  long  time. 
Many  thousand  tons'  weight  of  sprats  are  annually  used  for  this 
purpose. 

The  White-bait  belongs  to  the  same  family. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 
ENGRAUUS. — (Gr.  'Eyypa.vl.if.) 


Encrasicholus  (Gr.  'EyKpaaixoho? ,  mixed  with  bitter ;  the  Anchovy,  from 
its  taste),  the  Anchovy. 

The  little  ANCHOVY  is  a  fish  of  no  small  importance,  being 
very  largely  used  in  various  sauces,  besides  the  numbers  that 
are  preserved  in  pickle.  It  is  common  in  the  Mediterranean, 
and  is  also  found  oh  our  coasts.  The  upper  jaw  of  this  fish 
is  longer  than  the  lower  one ;  the  entire  length  of  the  fish  is 
usually  from  four  to  five  inches,  but  it  has  been  seen  measuring 
upwards  of  seven  inches. 


THE    COD. 

In  this  Sub-order  the  bones  of  the  ventral  fins  are  placed 
under,  and  support  the  bones  of  the  shoulder. 

The  well-known  COD-FISH  is  principally  found  on  the  coasts 
of  Newfoundland,  but  is  taken  in  great  numbers  on  our  own 
shores.  The  hook  is  generally  employed  for  the  capture  of  this 
fine  fish.  An  immense  number  of  hooks,  each  baited  with  a 
whelk  or  limpet  and  attached  to  short  lines,  are  fastened  at 
intervals  along  a  rope,  which  is  stretched,  or  shot,  as  it  is  termed, 
across  the  tide,  in  order  to  prevent  the  hooks  from  getting  en- 
tangled. Such  is  the  voracity  of  the  fish,  that  nearly  five  hun- 
dred fish  have  been  taken  by  one  man  in  the  course  of  ten 
hours.  The  intense  cold  renders  the  Cod  fishery  a  service  of 
great  hardship. 


410 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-order  II.  SUB-BRACHIATA. — (Lai.  sub,  under ;  brachium,  an  arm.) 
Family  VI. . .  Gadidfe.— (Gr.  IVtSor.) 

•MORKIUTA. 


Callarias  (Gr.  KaMapiac),  the  Cod. 
I 

When  taken,  the  fish  are  placed  in  a  well  boat,  through 
which  the  salt  water  has  a  free  passage,  so  that  the  cod-fish  are 
brought  to  Billingsgate  still  living.  Several  successful  experi- 
ments have  been  made  to  preserve  this  fish  in  salt  water  ponds, 
in  which  it  appears  to  thrive  well.  The  fecundity  of  this  fish  is 
almost  incredible,  the  roe  of  one  fish  having  been  ascertained  to 
contain  nine  million  eggs.  The  Whiting  belongs  to  this  family. 

In  the  Flat-fish  we  see  a  most  extraordinary  instance  of 
adaptation  of  structure  to  peculiar  circumstances.  We  have 
all  seen  Flat-fish,  and  all  know  that  the  upper  side  is  dark, 
and  the  under  side  nearly  white.  The  word  "  side"  is  used 
advisedly,  as  these  curious  fish  actually  lie  on  their  sides  at 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  441 

the  bottom  of  the  water  while  undisturbed,  or  merely  feeding. 
When,  however,  they  are  alarmed,  they  rapidly  assume  the 
vertical  position,  and  dart  off  with  great  speed.  The  dark 
upper  surface  serves  to  protect  them  from  becoming  too  visi- 
ble to  enemies  above.  The  two  eyes  are  also  placed  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  head  for  obvious  reasons.  In  fact,  the  whole 
fish  appears  as  if  it  had  been  laid  on  its  side,  and  rolled  flat, 
the  head  also  being  twisted  round,  and  the  lower  eye  removed 
to  the  upper  suri'ace. 


Family  VII.  Pleuronectidaj.— (Gr.  IQevpov,  a  rib  or  side;   VIJKTOV, 
power  of  swimming.) 

PSETTA.— (Gr.  ^TJTra,  a  Turbot.) 


*  Maxima  (Lat.  greatest),  the  Turbot. 

The  TURBOT  is  found  on  the  coasts  of  most  parts  of  England, 
but  is  mostly  confined  to  the  southern  coasts  of  Ireland. 

The  fishery  is  conducted  both  by  nets  and  lines.  The  net, 
called  the  haul-net,  drags  from  the  bottom  not  only  turbots  but 
other  flat  fish,  such  as  soles  and  plaice.  The  line,  used  when 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  is  too  deep  or  rocky  for  the  net,  is  armed 
with  many  hooks,  baited  with  smelts  and  other  small  fish. 
The  lampern,  or  river  lamprey,  was  formerly  in  very  great 


442  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

use  as  a  bait,  as  its  brilliant  silvery  appearance,  and  its  great 
tenacity  of  life,  rendered  it  peculiarly  lit  for  the  capture  of  the 
voracious  but  dainty  turbot,  who,  rejecting  all  stale  or  dis- 
coloured baits,  eagerly  devours  them  if  bright  coloured  and 
moving.  The  fishermen  state  that  the  turbot  will  not  touch 
a  bait  that  has  been  bitten  by  any  other  fish.  On  the  English 
coasts  one  turbot-line  frequently  extends  for  three  miles  in 
length,  and  is  furnished  with  2500  hooks,  which  are  attached 
to  the  main  line  by  small  horse-hair  lines,  each  twenty-seven 
inches  in  length.  This  enormous  line  is  "  shot"  across  the 
current  at  the  turn  of  the  tide.  Each  boat  possesses  a  double 
set  of  lines,  so  that  one  line  is  "  shot"  and  another  "  hauled" 
every  turn  of  the  tide. 

The  little  star-like  bones  imbedded  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
skin  of  this  fish  are  very  curious.  The  dark  side  of  the  turbot 
is  the  left,  on  which  the  eyes  are  also  placed.  Reversed 
turbots,  and  even  turbots  dark  on  both  sides,  are  not  at  all 
uncommon. 


SOLEA.— (Lat.  the  Sole  of  a  shoe.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common],  the  Sole. 

The  COMMON  SOLE  is  too  well  known  to  need  much  descrip- 
tion. This  fish  is  the  reverse  of  the  turbot,  having  the  eyes 
and  colour  on  the  right  side  ;  although,  as  in  the  turbot, 
varieties  are  not  rare.  It  is  in  season  during  most  parts  of 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  443 

the  year,  except  a  few  weeks  in  March  or  April.  Although  it 
is  a  marine  fish,  it  seems  to  thrive  well  in  river-water,  or  even 
in  a  pond.  Mr.  Arnold  kept  several  in  a  pond  in  Guernsey, 
where  the  soles  became  twice  as  thick  in  proportion  to  their 
length  as  those  living  in  the  sea. 


Sub-order  III.  APODA. — (Gr.  'A,  privation;  TTOVC,  a  foot.) 
Family  IX.  . .  Muraendise. — (Gr.  Mvpaiva,  a  Sea-eel.) 

ANGUIU.A. — (Lat.  a  little  Eel.) 


Acutirostris  (Lat.  sharp-beaked),  the  Sharp-nosed  Eel. 

The  APODA,  or  footless  fish,  so  called  from  the  absence  of 
ventral  fins,  comprise  the  Eels. 

These  fish  assume  a  form  very  similar  to  the  serpents.  Al- 
though on  a  hasty  examination  they  seem  to  be  devoid  of  scales, 
yet  when  the  skin  is  dried,  very  minute  scales  may  be  seen 
through  the  semi-transparent  outer  skin,  and  may  be  easily  de- 
tached by  carefully  separating  the  two  skins. 

Eels  inhabit  muddy  ponds  and  rivers,  and  are  common  in 
many  canals.  They  are  susceptible  of  cold,  and  constantly  de- 
scend the  rivers  to  deposit  their  spawn  in  the  sea,  after  which, 
the  young,  when  hatched,  work  their  way  up  the  rivers,  there- 
by precisely  reversing  the  habits  of  the  salmon.  They  are  ca- 
pable of  living  out  of  water  for  a  long  time,  and  often  make 
voluntary  land  excursions,  either  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  an 
insurmountable  fall,  or  in  search  of  frogs  or  worms,  on  which 


444  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

they  feed.  In  the  winter,  while  they  are  lying  torpid  in  the 
mud,  multitudes  are  taken  by  spears — many-pronged  instru- 
ments, whose  prongs  are  feathered  with  recurved  barbs,  which, 
when  pushed  into  the  mud,  entangle  the  eels,  and  effectually 
prevent  their  escape. 

There  are  supposed  to  be  four  species  of  English  eel ;  name- 
ly, the  Sharp-nosed,  the  Broad-nosed,  the  Snig,  and  the  Grig. 


CONGER. — (Lat.  from  Gr.  Toyypof,  a  Cor.ger  EeL) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Conger. 

The  CONGER  EEL  is  found  in  all  the  rocky  parts  of  the 
British  coasts,  and  is  exceedingly  common  on  the  coasts  of 
Cornwall. 

It  is  usually  caught  with  a  hook,  the  best  bait  of  which  is  a 
sand-launce,  a  little  fish  belonging  to  the  same  family  as  the 
eels,  and  which  buries  itself  five  or  six  inches  deep  in  the  sand 
when  the  tide  ebbs,  and  releases  itself  on  the  next  flood  tide. 
The  fishermen  rake  it  out  of  the  sand  with  iron  hooks.  A 
pilchard  is  a  common  bait  for  the  Conger. 

The  size  of  this  fish  is  sometimes  very  great.  Yarrell  men- 
tions, in  his  "  British  Fishes,"  that  "  specimens  weighing  eighty- 
six  pounds,  one  hundred  and  four  pounds,  and  even  one  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds,  have  been  recorded,  some  of  them  measuring 
more  than  ten  feet  long  and  eighteen  inches  in  circumference. 
They  possess  great  strength,  and  often  form  very  formidable  an- 
tagonists if  assailed  among  rocks,  or  when  drawn  into  a  boat 
Avith  a  line." 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  4 

Family  X.  Gymnotidrc. — (Gr  Tvnv6<;.  naked;  ixirof,  the  back.) 

GYMNOTUS. 


Electricus  (Lat.  electric),  the  Electric  Eel. 

This  curious  fish,  which  exhibits  the  singular  phenomenon 
of  voluntary  electric  power  residing  in  a  living  animal,  is  an 
inhabitant  of  the  fresh- water  rivers  and  ponds  of  Surinam,  and 
other  parts  of  South  America,  where  it  was  first  discovered  in 
the  year  1677. 

This  power  of  emitting  an  electric  shock,  is  apparently 
given  it  in  order  to  enable  the  creature  to  kill  its  prey.  Those 
who  have  seen  the  ELECTRIC  EEL  in  the  Polytechnic  while 
being  fed,  will  have  little  doubt  of  this.  The  fish  given  to  it 
are,  directly  it  becomes  aware  of  their  presence,  instantly  struck 
dead,  and  then  devoured.* 

Captain  Stedman,  in  his  account  of  Surinam,  gives  an  ac- 
count of  the  electric  eel,  which  he,  of  course,  had  many  oppor- 
tunities of  seeing.  He  attempted,  for  a  trifling  wager,  to  lift 
up  a  gymnotus  in  his  hands,  but  according  to  his  own  words : — 

"  I  tried  about  twenty  different  times  to  grasp  it  with  my 
hand,  but  all  without  effect,  receiving  just  as  many  electrical 
shocks,  which  I  felt  even  to  the  top  of  my  shoulder.  It  has 
been  said  that  this  animal  must  be  touched  with  both  hands 
before  it  gives  the  shock,  but  this  I  must  take  the  liberty  of 

*  This  specimen  is  unfortunately  blind,  but  it  has  learned  to  turn  in  the  direction 
of  a  paddling  in  the  water,  made  by  the  individual  who  feeds  it.  The  fish  is  scarcely 
in  the  water  before  a  shock  from  the  Gymnotus  kills  it.  The  usual  length  of  the 
Gymnotus  is  about  three  feet. 


446  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

contradicting,  having  experienced  the  contrary  effect. "  The 
eel  mentioned  was  a  small  one,  only  two  feet  long ;  but  one 
that  had  arrived  at  its  full  growth  would  have  given  a  very 
much  stronger  shock.  An  English  sailor  was  fairly  knocked 
down  by  a  shock  from  one  of  these  eels,  nor  did  he  recover  his 
senses  for  some  time.  It  is  said  that  the  shock  can  pass  up  a 
stick,  and  strike  the  person  holding  it.  Mr.  Bryant  and  a 
companion  were  both  struck  while  pouring  off  the  water  from 
a  tub  in  which  an  electric  eel  had  been  placed. 

Hurnboldt,  in  his  "  Views  of  Nature,"  gives  a  very  animated 
description  of  the  method  employed  by  the  Indians  to  take 
these  formidable  creatures — a  method  equally  ingenious  and 
cruel.  Knowing  from  experience  that  the  powers  of  the 
gymnotus  are  not  adequate  to  a  constant  volley  of  shocks, 
they  contrive  that  the  shocks  shall  be  expended  on  the  horses 
instead  of  themselves. 

Having  found  a  pool  containing  electric  eels,  they  force  a 
troop  of  wild  horses  to  enter  the  pool.  The  disturbed  eels 
immediately  attack  the  intruders,  and  destroy  many  of  them 
by  repeated  shocks ;  but  by  constantly  forcing  fresh  supplies 
of  horses  to  invade  the  pool,  the  powers  of  the  gymnoti  be- 
come exhausted,  and  they  are  then  dragged  out  with  impunity. 


THE    SHORT    SUN-FISH. 

This  order  derives  its  name  from  the  curious  structure  of  the 
jaws,  which  are  fixed  together  in  a  very  peculiar  manner. 

The  SHORT  SUN-FISH  has  been  frequently  taken  in  almost 
all  parts  of  our  coasts.  It  is  of  a  most  singular  shape,  looking 
as  if  three-fourths  of  a  very  large  fish  had  been  cut  ofT,  leaving 
only  the  head  and  shoulders,  something  like  a  marine  Baron 
Munchausen's  horse. 

It  attains  to  a  very  large  size,  and  has  been  known  to  weigh 
three  hundred  pounds,  its  length  being  only  four  feet  five 
inches. 

It  lives  mostly  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  but  frequently 
rises  to  the  surface,  and  lies,  perhaps,  asleep,  floating  with  the 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  44' 

Order  III.  PLECTOGNATHI. — (Gr.  ZUe/cTof,  plaited;  jvddog,  th< 

jaw.) 

Family  I.    Diodontidae. — (Gr.  Atf,  double ;  66ovs,  a  tooth.) 
OKTHAGORISCUS. — (Gr.  'OpdayopicKoc,  a  Sucking-pig.) 


Mola  (Lat.  a  Mill-stone),  the  Short  Sun-fish. 

tide.  Sailors  in  this  case  are  fond  of  trying  their  skill  with  a 
harpoon.  When  struck,  it  uses  very  powerful  but  exceedingly 
awkward  efforts  to  escape.  The  sailors,  of  course,  eat  it,  as 
they  do  almost  anything. 


THE    STURGEON. 

The  remaining  fishes  belong  to  the  Cartilaginous  sub-class  ; 
that  is,  their  skeletons  are  composed  of  cartilage,  and  not  of  true 
bone. 

The  first  sub-order  possess  free  gill-covers  like  those  of  all  the 


448 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-class  II.   PISCES  CHOKDROPTERYGIL — (Gr.   Xovdpoc,   carti- 
lage ;  •nrepvyiov,  a  fin.) 

Sub-order  I.  ELEUTIIEROPOML— '-{Gr.  'EhevOepoc,  free;  mj/io,  a  lid  or 
cover. ) 

Family  I.  ...  Acipensendse. — (Lat.  Acipensa,  a  Sturgeon.) 


ACIPENSER. 


Sturio,  the  Sturgeon. 

preceding  fish  ;  but  the  remainder  breathe  by  means  either  of 
slits,  as  in  the  sharks,  or  holes,  as  in  the  lampreys. 

The  STURGEONS  are  remarkable  for  the  rows  of  bony  plates 
extending  along  the  body.  It  is  exceedingly  common  in  the 
northern  parts  of  E  urope,  where  regular  fisheries  are  organized 
for  its  capture.  Almost  every  part  of  it  is  used.  Isinglass  is 
obtained  by  drying  and  shredding  the  air-bladder ;  caviare  is 
made  of  the  roe  of  the  female,  and  the  flesh  is  extensively  pre- 
served both  by  pickling  and  salting,  besides  the  large  quantities 
that  are  consumed  fresh.  The  flavour  of  its  flesh  is  said  not  to 
be  unlike  veal. 

It  has  occasionally  been  taken  on  our  coasts,  usually  by 
entangling  itself  in  the  nets,  and  although  it  then  does  some 
injury  to  the  nets  by  its  violent  struggles  to  release  itself,  it 
is  otherwise  perfectly  harmless.  Yarrel  mentions  that  a 
sturgeon  measuring  eight  feet  six  inches  in  length,  and  weigh- 
ing two  hundred  and  three  pounds,  was  taken  in  a  stake  net 
near  Findhon  in  1833.  A  specimen  was  once  caught  in  the 
Esk,  weighing  four  hundred  and  sixty  pounds.  The  female 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


always  deposits  her  eggs  in  fresh  water,  and  the  young,  when 
hatched,  descend  to  the  sea,  and  are  supposed  not  to  return 
again  until,  in  their  turn,  they  seek  the  fresh  water  in  order  to 
deposit  their  spawn. 


Sub-order  II.  TREMATOPNEI. — (Gr.  Tpij/ta,  &  hole  pierced  through  any- 
thing; 7n>E«,  I  breathe.) 
Family  I Scyllldae.— (Gr.  S/cvXfa,  a  Dog-fish.) 


Caniciila  (Lat.  a  little  Dog),  the  Little  Spotted  Dog-fish. 

The  SHARKS  and  RAYS  have  no  gill-covers,  but  the  water 
passes  through  five  elongated  apertures  on  each  side  of  the  head. 

The  Sharks  are  proverbially  ferocious  and  dangerous  crea- 
tures, and  are  the  pest  of  those  seas  which  they  infest.  Their 
mouths  are  furnished  with  several  rows  of  sharp  jagged  teeth, 
which  can  be  raised  or  depressed  at  pleasure,  and  which  can 
cut  through  a  limb  or  even  the  body  of  a  man  with  the  greatest 
ease.  The  mouth  of  these  fishes  is  placed  beneath, the  head, 
so  that  a  shark  cannot  seize  a  prey  at  the  surface  of  the  water 
without  turning  on  its  side,  which  evolution  often  gives  time 
for  its  expected  prey  to  escape. 

The  LITTLE  SPOTTED  DOG-FISH  is  the  most  common  of  the 
Sharks  that  visit  our  shores.  It  is  principally  known  on 
account  of  the  havoc  it  makes  among  the  fish  during  the 
seasons  of  the  various  fisheries,  for  which  reason  it  is  most 
especially  detested  by  the  unfortunate  fishermen,  who  not  un- 
frequently,  together  with  their  expected  spoil,  draw  up  a 


450  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

few  dog-fish  in  their  nets.  The  dog-fish,  on  finding  themselves 
entangled,  immediately  commence  tearing  the  nets  to  pieces 
with  their  sharp  and  powerful  teeth. 

The  empty  eggs  of  this  fish  are  often  found  washed  up  on 
the  sea-shore,  and  called  hy  the  name  of  "  mermaids'  purses." 
They  are  oblong,  and  furnished  at  each  corner  with  a  long 
semitransparent  convoluted  tendril,  the  use  of  which  is  appa- 
rently to  entangle  and  fix  the  egg  among  the  sea-weed,  and 
thus  prevent  it  from  being  washed  on  shore  until  the  young  is 
hatched. 

A  considerable  quantity  of  oil  can  be  obtained  from  the  brain 
of  the  dog-fish,  and  the  skin,  in  common  with  that  of  other 
cartilaginous  fishes,  is  made  into  shagreen. 


Family  II.    Squalidse. 
SQUALUS. — (Lat.  a  Shark.) 


Carcharias  (Gr.  a  Shark ;  from  Kdp%apof,  jagged ;  in  allusion  to  its 
teeth),  the  White  Shark. 

The  WHITE  SHARK  is  a  well-known  scourge  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  This  is  the  creature  so 
detested  by  sailors,  who,  when  they  have  caught  a  "  shirk," 
subject  it  to  every  possible  indignity. 

This  voracious  creature  has  been  known  to  swallow  an  entire 
man,  and  as  it  is  in  the  habit  of  lurking  about  ships  for  the 
sake  of  the  scraps  thrown  overboard,  and  almost  invariably 
swallows  whatever  is  cast  over  the  side,  the  contents  of  its 
stomach  are  often  of  a  most  heterogeneous  description.  The 
sailors  always  arnuse  themselves  by  seeing  what  the  shark 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  451 

had  "  stowed  away,"  and  the  substances  thus  brought  to  light 
have  been  most  curious.  The  entire  contents  of  a  lady's 
work-basket,  down  to  the  scissors,  were  found  in  the  interior 
of  one.  shark,  and  another  had  actually  swallowed  an  entire 
bull's  hide — a  circumstance  which  led  the  operating  sailor  to 
remark  that  the  shark  had  swallowed  a  bull,  but  could  not 
"  disgest"  the  hide. 

The  amphibious  South  Sea  Islanders  stand  in  great  dread 
of  the  Shark,  and  with  good  reason,  for  not  a  year  elapses 
without  several  falling  victims  to  the  rapacity  of  this  terrific 
animal.  Nearly  thirty  of  the  natives  of  the  Society  Islands 
were  destroyed  at  one  time  by  the  sharks.  A  storrn  had  so 
injured  the  canoe  in  which  they  were  passing  from  one  island 
to  another,  that  they  were  forced  to  take  refuge  on  a  raft 
hastily  formed  of  the  fragments  of  their  canoe.  Their  weight 
sunk  the  raft  a  foot  or  two  below  the  surface  of  the  water, 
and,  dreadful  to  say,  the  sharks  surrounded  them  and  dragged 
them  off  the  raft  one  by  one,  until  the  lightened  raft  rose 
above  the  water  and  preserved  the  few  survivors. 


SPHYBNIAS. — (Gr.  from  2<j>vpa,  a  Hammer.) 


Zygama  (Gr.  Zoyatva),  the  Hammer-headed  Shark. 

The  HAMMER-HEADED  SHARK  inhabits  the  same  latitudes. 
This  curiously  constructed  fish  closely  resembles  the  white 
shark  in  all  respects  but  the  head,  which  is  widened  out  at 
each  side,  exactly  like  a  double-headed  hammer  or  mallet. 


452  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  eyes,  being  placed  at  each  extremity  of  the  head,  must  of 
course  possess  a  very  extended  power  of  vision. 

The  THRESHER,  a  fish  which  has  a  curious  habit  of  springing 
out  of  the  water  and  inflicting  a  violent  blow  with  its  tail  on 
any  object  that  annoys  it,  belongs  to  the  Shark  tribe. 


Family  IV.     Pristidse.— (Gr.  Hpiariy,  the  Sawfish.) 

PRISTIS. 


Antiquorum  (Lat.  of  the  Ancients),  the  Sazcfish. 

The  SAWFISH  is  found  in  the  greatest  perfection  in  the  tro- 
pical seas,  although  it  also  inhabits  the  Mediterranean.  The 
weapon  from  which  the  fish  derives  its  name,  is  a  flat,  long 
prolongation  of  the  head,  on  each  edge  of  which  are  set  hard 
tooth-like  projections,  curiously  inserted  into  the  bone. 

This  fish  has  been  known  to  employ  its  saw  in  the  attack 
of  the  whale,  burying  the  apparently  inappropriate  weapon 
to  the  very  root  in  the  body  of  the  whale  ;  nor  are  instances 
wanting  where  the  saw  has  been  found  firmly  imbedded  in 
the  hull  of  a  ship. 

The  strength  of  the  Sawfish  is  very  great.  Captain  Wilson 
gives  an  account  of  the  capture  of  a  Sawfish,  measuring 
twenty-two  feet  in  length,  and  weighing  nearly  five  tons. 
After  the  fish  had  been  entangled  in  a  net  for  several  hours, 
making  violent  efibrts  to  escape,  Captain  Wilson  got  a  rope 
firmly  fixed  round  its  saw,  and  set  thirty  men  to  haul  at  the 
rope.  The  whole  thirty  could  not  move  it  one  inch,  nor  was 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


453 


it  until  one  hundred  men  had  heen  pulling  at  the  rope  for 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  day,  that  they  succeeded  in  dragging 
it  on  shore.  Even  then  it  made  such  violent  strokes  with  its 
saw,  that  they  were  forced  to  fasten  strong  guy  ropes  to  prevent 
it  from  cutting  them  to  pieces.  It  was  finally  disabled  by  a 
Spaniard,  who  cut  through  the  joint  of  the  tail. 


Family  V.  Raidae.— (Lat.  Raia,  a  Skate  or  Ray.) 
TORPEDO. — (Lat.  Cramp  or  numbness.) 


Scutata  (Lat.  shielded),  the  Torpedo. 

The  TORPEDO  may  fairly  be  considered  a  British  fish.  It 
affords  a  second  instance  of  the  electric  power  residing  in  a 
fish.  The  organs  that  produce  the  electric  shock  are  shown 
externally  by  two  elevations  extending  from  the  eyes  about 
half  down  the  body.* 

Although  it  has  once  or  twice  been  caught  on  our  coasts, 
it  is  usually  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  where  its  powers  are 
well  known,  and  held  in  some  awe.  The  shock  that  the 

*  Those  who  would  wish  to  examine  the  structure  of  this  most  singular  organ, 
are  referred  to  the  Museum  of  the  College  of  Surgeons,  where  is  a  series  of  beautiful 
wax  models,  admirably  illustrating  the  entire  structures. 


454 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 


Torpedo  gives,  of  course,  varies  according  to  the  size  of  the  fish 
and  its  state  of  health,  but  a  tolerably  large  fish  in  good  health, 
can,  for  the  time,  disable  a  strong  man.  From  the  effects  of 
its  shock,  it  is  in  some  parts  called  the  Cramp-fish. 

Colonel  Montagu  notices  a  Torpedo  caught  on  a  turbot  line, 
at  Tucky.  It  weighed  about  one  hundred  pounds,  and  com- 
pletely puzzled  the  fisherman,  who  found  it  hanging  dead  on 
the  hooks,  and  had  never  seen  such  a  creature  before.  Colonel 
Montagu  quaintly  remarks,  that  had  it  not  been  dead,  the  fisher- 
man would  certainly  have  had  a  shock  that  would  have  made 
him  remember  the  species  again. 


Clavata  (Lat.  from  Clavus,  a  nail),  the  Thornbaclc  Skate. 

The  RAYS  are  at  first  sight  not  unlike  the  turbot  and  sole, 
but  a  closer  examination  will  show  that  the  Rays  really  swim 
with  their  backs  upwards,  whereas  the  turbot  swims  on  its  side. 
The  movement  of  the  Ray  is  very  curious,  and  is  admirably 
expressed  by  the  word  "  sluddering" — used  by  an  old  fisherman. 

The  SKATE  is  caught  in  abundance  on  our  shores,  and  in 
England  is  much  used  as  an  article  of  food,  although  in  Scotland 
it  is  used  principally  for  bait. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  455 

The  THORNBACK  SKATE  derives  its  name  from  the  spiny 
armature  of  the  tail,  with  which  the  fish  defends  itself  most 
vigourously  by  hending  itself  almost  into  a  semicircle  and  lash- 
ing about  with  its  tail.  The  female  of  the  Thornback  Skate  is 
termed  a  Maid.  It  often  attains  to  a  large  size,  the  largest 
known  being  twelve  feet  in  length,  and  nearly  ten  in  width. 

The  jaws  of  the  Rays  are  exceedingly  powerful,  and  enable 
them  to  crush  with  perfect  ease  the  various  shell-fish  on  which 
they  feed. 

The  STING  RAY  is  another  species,  which  is  armed  with  a 
serrated  bone  in  its  tail,  with  which  it  can  inflict  painful  and 
even  dangerous  wounds. 


Sub-order  III.  CTCLOSTOMI. — (Gr.  Kv/cAof,  a  Circle ;  oro/za,  the  mouth.) 
Family  I Petromyzonidse. — (Gr.  Ilerpof,  a  Stone;  fiv&,  I  suck.) 

PETKOMYZON. 


Maiinus  (Lat.  Marine),  the  Lamprey. 

These  curious  fishes,  in  many  respects  the  lowest  in  organiza- 
tion of  the  vertebrate  animals,  are  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  sin- 
gular construction  of  the  mouth,  which,  formed  like  that  of  the 
leech,  enables  it  to  hold  firmly  to  any  object  by  suction.  The 
breathing  apparatus  appears  externally  to  consist  of  fourteen 
small  apertures,  seven  on  each  side  of  the  neck.  Their  progress 
through  the  water  is  accomplished  by  a  rapid  undulating  move- 


456  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

The  MARINE  LAMPREY  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  and 
in  most  of  the  northern  European  rivers.  It  has  also  b£eri 
discovered  in  America.  A  few  are  caught  in  the  Thalnes 
almost  every  year,  but  the  Severn  is  its  usual  haunt.  Like 
many  other  fishes,  it  travels  for  many  miles  up  rivers  for  the 
purpose  of  depositing  its  spawn,  at  which  time  it  is  considered 
to  be  in  the  highest  perfection. 

The  spawn  is  deposited  in  furrows,  some  excavated  by  the 
parent  Lampreys,  who,  by  the  help  of  their  sucker-like  mouthi, 
rapidly  remove  even  large  stones. 


Fluviatilis  (Lat,  of  the  river),  the  Lampern. 

The  LAMPERN,  or  RIVER  LAMPREY,  is  plentifully  found  in 
many  rivers  of  England.*  It  was  formerly  held  in  great  repute 
as  bait  for  turbot,  cod,  and  other  fish,  but  in  consequence  of  the 
diminished  supply  other  substances  have  been  employed.  Its 
length  is  usually  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches.  In  some  coun- 
ties it  is  called  Seven-eyes,  in  allusion  to  the  breathing  apertures 
in  the  neck. 

*  It  is  extremely  common  at  Ashbourne  in  Derbyshire,  inhabiting  the  Dove  and  its 
tributary  brooks.  Strange  to  say,  the  inhabitants  of  Ashbourne  held  it  in  some  ab- 
horrence, and  there  was  only  one  individual  possessing  sufficient  strength  of  mind  to 
eat  them.  He  found  them  a  most  agreeable  addition  to  his  ordinary  diet.  The  Lam- 
perns,  or  Lampreens  as  they  were  called,  used  to  lie  in  masses  of  eighteen  or  twenty 
together  in  a  hole,  and  if  disturbed,  set  off  down  the  stream  with  some  speed. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family  II.    Myxinidss. 
MYXINE  (Gr.  Mv^ivof,  from  ftvt;a,  slime.) 


Glutinosa  (Lat.  glutinous),  the  Myxine  or  Glutinous  Hag-fish. 

The  MYXINE,  which,  although  a  decided  fish,  was  classed 
by  Linnaeus  among  the  worms,  occurs  frequently  on  the  eastern 
coast  of  this  country.  The  fishermen  find  it  within  the  bodies 
of  fish  attached  to  the  lines.  The  Scarborough  fishermen  call 
such  fish  "  robbed,"  as  the  Myxine,  in  the  course  of  a  single 
tide,  will  devour  the  whole  fish,  except  the  skin  and  bones. 
It  is  usually  found  in  the  body  of  the  cod. 

It  is  quite  blind,  but  is  supposed  to  derive  considerable  aid 
from  the  eight  barbules  ranged  round  its  mouth.  Six  indi- 
viduals have  been  found  in  the  body  of  a  single  haddock. 

Along  the  under  surface  of  the  body  are  two  rows  of  pores, 
from  which  the  Myxine  is  enabled  to  throw  out  a  most  copious 
gelatinous  secretion,  apparently  for  the  purpose  of  escape  from 
its  enemies.  The  length  of  the  Myxine  is  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  inches. 

U 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Division  II.  INVERTEBRATA.  (Lat.  without  vertebrae.) 

Class  VI.  . .  MOLLUSCA. — (Lat.  from  mollis,  soft ;  properly,  a  soft 

nut.) 

Order.  .  .  .   CEPHALOPODA.— (Gr.Ke^a^,  the  head;  irovf,  afoot.) 
Family  .  .  .  Octopidae. — (Gr.  'O«rw,  eight;  novf,  a  foot.) 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Cuttle-fish. 

The  Mollusca  have  neither  spine  nor  bones,  the  nervous  sys- 
tem consisting  of  a  number  of  nervous  knobs  called  "  ganglia," 
which  give  off  filamentous  nerves  in  different  directions. 

Few  Molluscs  possess  eyes,  but  in  one  or  two,  as  the  snails 
and  slugs,  those  organs  are  to  be  found,  and  in  the  higher 
Molluscs,  such  as  the  Cuttle-fish,  we  see  not  only  large  and 
brilliant  eyes,  but  also  organs  of  hearing. 

The  Cephalopoda,  so  called  by  the  organs  of  movement  sur- 
rounding the  head,  are  divided  into  naked  and  testaceous,*  or 
covered  with  a  shell. 

The  COMMON  CUTTLE-FISH  is  an  example  of  a  naked  cephal- 
opodous  mollusc.  This  repulsive  looking  creature  is  common  on 
our  shores,  and  is,  in  spite  of  its  unpleasant  appearance,  often 

*  Derived  from  Lat.  testa,  a  shell. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  459 

used  for  food.  Its  eight  long  and  flexible  arms  are  covered 
with  suckers  of  various  sizes,  enabling  their  owner  not  only  to 
fix  itself  firmly  to  the  rocks  on  which  it  dwells,  but  to  seize 
and  retain  with  the  greatest  tenacity  any  unfortunate  fish  or 
shell  that  may  happen  to  come  within  its  reach.  Its  powerful 
parrot-like  beak  enables  it  not  only  to  devour  fishes,  but  even 
to  crush  the  shells  and  Crustacea  that  are  entangled  in  its 
deadly  embraces.  In  England  the  Cuttle  does  not  grow  to 
any  great  size,  but  in  the  Indian  Seas  it  is  absolutely  danger- 
ous, and  the  crews  of  boats  are  forced  to  be  armed  with  a 
hatchet,  to  cut  off  the  arms  of  the  cuttle-fish. 

There  are  few  who  have  not  heard  of  the  colour  called 
"  sepia."  This  is,  or  ought  to  be,  prepared  from  a  black  pig- 
ment, secreted  by  the  Cuttle-fish,  and  used  in  order  to  escape 
its  foes,  by  blackening  the  water  with  the  ink,  and  hurrying 
off  under  shelter  of  the  dense  cloud  of  its  own  creating.  Dr. 
Buckland  actually  drew  a  portrait  of  a  fossil  Cuttle-fish  with 
some  of  its  own  ink  that  still  remained  in  its  body. 

The  substance  sold  in  the  shops  as  cuttle-fish  bone  is  a 
chalky  substance  secreted  from  the  mouth  of  the  fish,  and  com- 
posed of  an  infinite  number  of  plates,  joined  by  myriads  of 
little  pillars.* 

The  entire  body  is  soft,  and  encased  in  a  coarse,  leather-like 
skin,  unprotected  by  any  shell. 


THE    NAUTILUS. 

The  ARGONAUT,  or  NAUTILUS,  is  an  example  of  the  testaceous 
Molluscs.  This  curious  creature,  about  which  so  many  mar- 
vellous and  poetical  tales  have  been  told,  is  very  abundant  in 
the  Mediterranean. 

It  has  been  clearly  proved  that  the  Nautilus  does  not  urge 
itself  along  the  surface  of  the  water  by  the  expanded  arms 
used  as  sails.  These  arms  are  in  fact  used  to  cover  the  shell, 

*  At  a  meeting  of  the  Ashmolean  Society  at  Oxford,  Dr.  Buckland,  while  exhib- 
iting some  relics  of  a  huge  fossil  Saurian,  said,  "  I  know  where  that  fellow  lived,  I 
know  where  he  died,  and  moreover,  I  know  what  he  had  for  dinner  on  the  day  that 
he  died.  He  had  a  cuttle-fish  for  dinner,  and  here  is  its  bony  ring,  which  I  found  in 
the  Saurian's  stomach." 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 

ARGONAOTA. — (Lat.  a  sailor  in  the  ship  Argo.) 
\ 


Argo  (Lat.),  the  Argonaut  or  Paper  Nautilus. 

and  it  is  from  these  that  the  beautiful  shell  is  secreted.  The 
Argonaut  propels  itself  through  the  water  by  violently  ejecting 
water  from  the  tube  with  which  it,  as  well  as  the  cuttle-fish, 
is  furnished  for  that  purpose.  The  colours  of  the  Hving  animal 
of  the  Nautilus  are  exceedingly  beautiful. 

The  arms  of  this  creature  are  furnished  with  suckers.  Its 
shell,  when  the  creature  is  living,  is  flexible  and  semi-trans- 
parent. 

The  fossil  Ammonites  belong  to  the  testaceous  Cephalopoda. 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  461 


Order GASTEROPODA.— <Gr.  Taanjp,  the  belly;  TTOVC,  a  foot.) 

Sub-order.  PULMOBRANCHIATA. — (Pulmo  the  lungs;  branchiae,  gills.) 
Family Limacidse. — (Gr.  Aet/mf,  a  Slug.) 


Ater  (Lat.  black),  the  Black  Slug. 

Shells  are  secreted  from  a  part  of  the  inhabitant  called  the 
"  mantle,"  and  of  course,  as  the  shell  is  always  added  round 
the  rim,  as  may  be  seen  by  taking  a  small  snail  in  the  spring, 
it  naturally  follows,  that  ^s  the  animal  becomes  larger,  so  the 
mantle  becomes  larger,  and  secretes  a  larger  ring  of  shell. 

Many  shells,  as  that  of  the  oyster,  are  deposited  in  layers,  a 
fine  membrane  interposing  between  each  layer  :  they  are  there- 
fore called  membranous  shells.  Most  membranous  shells  are 
lined  with  a  brilliant  enamelled  substance,  called  "  nacre  :" 
"  mother  of  pearl"  is  the  nacre  of  the  pearl  oyster.  That  of 
the  fresh-water  mussel  is  a  beautiful  azure. 

The  other  structure  of  shells  is  called  "  porcellaneous,"  be- 
cause they  look  like  porcelain  or  china.  The  common  cowrie 
is  a  well-known  instance  of  a  porcellaneous  shell.  Some  shells 
are  so  transparent  as  to  resemble  glass,  and  are  therefore  called 
"  vitreous."* 

Shells  are  divided  into  Univalve,  or  one-valved  shells,  such 
as  the  snail ;  and  Bivalve,  or  two-valved  shejls,  such  as  the 

*  Derived  from  Lat.  vitrum,  glass 


462  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

oyster.  Those  of  the  univalve  molluscs  are  capable  of  protect- 
ing themselves  when  withdrawn  inside  the  shell  by  a  horny 
plate  called  the  "  operculum,"*  which  completely  closes  up  the 
aperture,  and  which  may  be  seen  in  the  periwinkle.  The  clos- 
ing membrane  found  in  the  common  snail,  if  taken  in  the  win- 
ter, is  called  the  epiphragma.f  and  is  supposed  to  be  hardened 
mucus. 

The  Gasteropoda  move  by  means  of  a  fleshy  disc  or  foot  on 
the  under  surface  of  the  body,  and  by  the  alternate  expansive 
and  contractive  movements  of  this  foot,  the  creature  is  enabled 
to  crawl.  The  Gasteropoda  inhabit  both  land  and  water,  un- 
like the  bivalves,  which  are  exclusively  inhabitants  of  the  latter 
element. 

If  the  shell  of  a  Gasteropodous  mollusc  be  broken,  it  has  the 
power  of  repairing  the  injury  by  secreting  fresh  layers  of  shell 
from  the  mantle  within. 

The  SLUGS  are  well-known  invaders  of  our  gardens,  and, 
together  with  the  snail,  the  caterpillar,  and  the  mysterious 
"  blight,"  are  objects  of  the  gardener's  most  intense  hatred. 
The  Black  Slug  is  usually  found  by  hedge-banks,  and  in  grassy 
meadows.  It  seldom  ventures  out  by  day,  especially  if  the  day 
be  bright,  but  at  night,  when  the  dew  is  on  the  ground,  it 
may  be  seen  trailing  its  dark  length  through  the  herbage,  or 
eagerly  devouring  the  leaves.!  The  small  Grey  Slug  (Limax 
is  more  common  in  gardens  than  the  Black  Slug. 


THE    COMMON    SNAIL. 

Several  species  of  SNAILS  inhabit  this  country,  among 
which  the  Edible  Snail  (Helix  pomatia),  the  Belted  Snail 
(Helix  nemoralis),  and  the  common  Garden  Snail  (Helix 
aspersa),  are  the  most  conspicuous.  The  Edible  Snail  was 
imported  into  England  by  the  Romans,  who  prized  them 
highly,  and  fattened  them  in  a  building  erected  for  that 
express  purpose,  as  indeed  they  are  now  in  some  parts  of  the 

*  Lat.  a  cover  or  lid.  t  Gr.  'Eiri^pay/ia,  a  cover. 

t  While  employed  at  night  in  decoying  moths,  by  means  of  a  fragrant  compound 
of  sugar,  beer,  and  rum,  spread  on  the  trunks  of  trees,  I  used  constantly  to  find  my 
bait  attacked  by  huge  slugs  of  all  kinds,  descending  and  ascending  towards  the  sweet 
but  dangerous  banquet. 


NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Family,  Heliculse.—  (Gr.  "Ehii;,  twisted.) 
HELIX. 


s 


Aspersa  (Lat.  sprinkled),  the  Common  Snail. 

Continent.  This  snail  grows  to  a  large  size,  nearly  attaining 
the  magnitude  of  an  ordinary  closed  fist. 

The  eyes  of  the  Snail  are  placed  at  the  extremity  of  the  ten- 
tacula,  or  "  horns"  as  they  are  usually  called. 

The  common  garden  snail  is  so  well  known  that  no  descrip- 
tion of  it  is  needed.  It  lays  eggs  very  large  in  comparison  with 
the  size  of  the  parent ;  they  are  about  the  size  of  small  peas, 
round,  soft,  and  semi-transparent.  They  are  deposited  about 
two  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

This  creature  is  very  tenacious  of  life.  A  living  snail  was 
exhibited  at  the  Ashmolean  Society  at  Oxford,  which  had  made 
a  long  sea  voyage,  packed  up  in  cotton  wool.  An  immersion 
in  water  soon  brought  the  inhabitant  to  view,  and  when  it  was 
exhibited  it  was  crawling  about  a  box  in  perfect  health. 


THE    ROYAL    STAIRCASE    WENTLETRAP. 

The  K.OYAL  STAIRCASE  WENTLETRAP  affords  us  an  excellent 
and  most  beautiful  example  of  the  Turbinidse.  It  is  a  native 
of  the  Chinese  and  Indian  seas,  and  was  formerly  so  scarce  that 
a  specimen  two  inches  in  length  would  sell  for  a  hundred 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family,  Turbinidse.—  (Lat.  Turbo,  a  Whorl.) 
SCALARIA. — (Lat  Scala,  a  Ladder,  or  stairs.) 

Family.  Coniidse. — (Gr.  K«vof,  a  Cone.) 


IVetiosa  (Lat.  valuable),  the.  Royal  Staircase  Wentletrap. 

Generalis  (Lat  general),  the  Cone. 

pounds.  Even  now,  a  very  fine  specimen  cannot  be  obtained 
under  six  or  seven  pounds.  For  this  reason,  the  specific  name 
"  pretiosa"  was  affixed  to  it  by  Lamarck. 

As  an  example  of  the  large  family  of  Cones,  we  will  take 
the  common  Cone,  whose  beautiful  marbled  colour  and  elegant 
shape  render  it  a  most  attractive  shell. 


THE  MONEY  COWRY,  AND  THE  WHELK. 

The  Cowries  are  not  less  celebrated  for  the  elegance  of  their 
form  and  the  beauty  of  their  markings,  than  for  the  curious 
circumstance  that  one  species  is  used  as  current  coin  in 
Guinea  and  Bengal,  thus  being  employed  for  the  same  purpose 
by  two  entirely  distinct  races  of  men,  situated  in  different 
quarters  of  the  globe.  Their  value  is  of  course  small  in 
proportion  to  gold  or  silver.  At  the  present  time  a  rupee  in 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family,  Cyprseidse. — (Gr.  from  KvTrpof,  Cyprus.) 

ARICIA. 


Family,  Buccinidse. — (Lat.  Buccinum,  a  Trumpet.) 
Bucclmnc 


Moneta  (Lat.  the  stamp  on  money),  the  Money  Cowry. 

Undatum  (Lat.  wavy),  the  Whelk. 

Bengal  is  worth  3200  Cowries,  the  value  of  the  rupee  being 
2s.  3d.  of  our  money. 

The  BUCCINHXE  are  so  named  from  their  fancied  resem- 
blance to  a  trumpet.  The  common  Whelk  is  everywhere 
abundant  on  our  coasts,  and  is  taken  in  such  profusion  that  it 
is  largely  exported  for  food,  and  may  be  seen  on  the  street 
stalls  of  the  metropolis  exposed  for  sale,  like  the  oyster  and 
periwinkle. 

The  proboscis  of  this  creature  is  of  a  most  singular  structure, 
and  by  means  of  the  numerous  teeth  with  which  it  is  armed, 
it  is  able  rapidly  to  bore  its  way  through  shells,  and  then  to 
feed  upon  the  unfortunate  inmate.  The  hermit  crab  often 
takes  possession  of  the  empty  shells  of  the  Whelk. 

The  famous  Tyrian  purple  was  obtained  from  one  of  the 
Buccinidae,  Purpura  imbricata. 


466  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family,  Muricidse. — (Lat.  Murex,  the  purple  shell-fish.) 


Tribulus  (Lat.  a  Thistle),  the  Thorny  Woodcock. 

The  beautiful  THORNY  WOODCOCK,  sometimes  called  by  the 
name  of  Venus'  comb,  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  Muricidse. 
This  elegant  shell  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Indian  Ocean. 


Order.  .  .  CYCLOBRANCHIATA.—(Gr.  KwcAof,  a  circle ; 

gills.) 
Family  .  .  Patellldse. — (Lat.  Patella,  a  Porringer.) 


Vulgata  (Lat.  made  common),  the  Limpet. 

The  LIMPETS  are  spread  over  every  latitude,  except  the 
Arctic  regions.  The  common  Limpet  is  to  be  found  on  every 
rock  and  large  stone  at  the  sea-side.  The  variety  of  its 
attachment  to  the  rocks  is  very  curious,  and  well  repays  a 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  467 

careful  examination.  Every  one  who  has  seen  a  living  limpet 
knows  how  firmly  it  fixes  itself  to  the  rock.  This  is  done  by 
the  inhabitant  creating  a  vacuum  on  the  under  surface  of  its 
body,  which  causes  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  to  keep  it 
so  tightly  fixed  to  the  rocks,  that  a  blade  of  a  strong  knife  is 
required  to  detach  it.  Frequently  the  margin  of  the  shell 
adapts  itself  to  the  shape  of  the  substance  to  which  it  adheres, 
proving  that  it  must  remain  fixed  in  the  same  spot  for  a  long 
time,  and  rendering  it  difficult  to  imagine  from  whence  it  can 
obtain  sufficient  nourishment  to  support  life. 

Sometimes  a  large  shell  may  be  picked  up  covered  with 
limpets,  that  adhere  firmly  to  it  in  spite  of  the  rolling  of  the 
waves,  and  the  tossings  about  to  which  it  must  necessarily  be 
subjected. 

Order..  CONCHIFERA.—(Gr.  Koy/t;;,  a  Mussel-shell;  fepu,  I  bear.) 
Family.  Pectinidse. — (Lat.  Pecten  a  Scallop.) 
PECTEN. 


Jacobseus  (Lat.  from  a  proper  name),  the  Scallop. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  BIVALVE  MOLLUSCS.  It  has  been 
already  stated  that  the  Bivalves  are  all  aquatic.  These  crea- 
tures are  enabled  to  keep  their  shells  firmly  closed  by  means 
of  a  powerful  muscle.  Those  who  have  attempted  for  the  first 
time  to  open  an  oyster,  must  be  convinced  of  the  strength  of 
this  muscle.  The  two  shells  are  united  by  a  powerful  and 


468  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

extremely  elastic  hinge,  which  after  the  death  of  the  animal 
opens  the  shells  widely. 

The  Bivalves  do  not  enjoy  such  powers  of  locomotion  as  the 
Univalves,  yet  some,  as  the  fresh-water  mussel,  can  urge  them- 
selves along  by  means  of  a  fleshy  organ  called  the  foot ;  and  so 
powerful  in  some  is  this  organ,  that  by  means  of  it  the  animal 
can  not  only  burrow  in  the  sand,  but  actually  leap  out  of  a 
boat.  The  rapid  opening  and  shutting  of  the  valves  is  used  by 
some,  as  the  scallop,  as  a  means  of  progression.  It  is  believed 
that  the  Bivalves  have  no  visual  organs. 

The  common  SCALLOP  is  found  along  our  southern  coasts, 
and  in  the  seas  of  Europe.*  This  shell  was  formerly  used  as 
the  badge  of  a  pilgrim  to  the  Holy  Land. 

" His  pilgrim's  staff  he  bore.. 

And  fix'd  the  Scallop  in  his  hat  before." 


ORTREA. — (Gr.  'Oarpeov,  an  Oyster.) 


Edulis  (Lat.  edible),  the  Oyster. 

The  COMMON  OYSTER  has  been  for  many  ages  considered  as 
delicacy  for  the  table.     In  the  times  of  the  ancient  Romans, 

*  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  in  the  stomach  of  the  common  Scallop  is  found  an 
earthy  deposit,  which,  when  boiled  in  nitric  acid  in  order  to  dissolve  the  animal  and 
other  portions,  exhibits  under  a  powerful  microscope  animalcules  precisely  similar 
to  those  which,  in  a  fossil  state,  form  the  earth  on  which  the  town  of  Richmond  in 
America  is  built. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  4ti9 

we  find  that  our  "  Native  Oysters"  were  exported  to  Rome,  and 
there  placed  in  the  Lucrine  Lake,  where  they  were  fattened. 

On  our  coasts  the  oysters  breed  in  large  beds,  to  which  vast 
quantities  of  young  oysters  are  conveyed  by  the  fishermen,  and 
suffered  to  increase  without  molestation.  Newly-formed  beds 
are  untouched  for  two  or  three  years.  During  the  months  of 
May,  June,  and  July,*  the  oysters  breed,  and  are  considered 
unfit  for  food.  At  this  time  the  young,  called  "  spat,"  are 
deposited  in  enormous  numbers.  They  instantly  adhere  to  the 
substance  among  which  they  fall ;  and  this,  whatever  it  be,  is 
called  "  cultch,"  and  is  protected  by  severe  penalties.  About 
May  the  fishermen  separate  the  spawn  from  the  cultch,  which 
is  then  thrown  back  into  its  former  place.  After  May  it  is 
felony  to  disturb  the  cultch,  as  were  it  removed,  mussels  and 
cockles  would  rapidly  take  the  place  of  the  oysters. 

The  oysters  are  taken  in  the  proper  season  by  the  "dredge," 
a  kind  of  small  net  fastened  round  an  iron  frame- work,  which 
scoops  up  the  oysters  and  many  other  marine  animals. 

The  part  of  the  Oyster  called  the  "  beard,"  is  in  reality  the 
respiratory  apparatus. 


THE    PEARL    OYSTER. 

The  Pearl  Oyster  is  the  animal  from  which  those  highly- 
valued  ornaments,  pearls,  are  extracted.  The  pearl  is  nothing 
more  than  "  nacre,"  deposited  in  the  shape  of  globular  drops 
instead  of  being  spread  over  the  inner  surface  of  the  shell,  in 
which  case  it  is  known  as  Mother-of-pearl. 

These  valuable  shells  are  found  both  in  the  Old  and  New 
World.  Ceylon  is  very  famous  for  its  pearl  fisheries.  The 
fishermen  are  trained  to  remain  a  long  time  under  water,  and 
assisted  in  their  descent  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea  by  a  heavy 
weight  tied  to  their  feet.  They  rapidly  gather  all  the  Pearl 
Oysters  in  their  way  into  a  basket,  and  when  in  want  of  air, 
give  a  signal  to  their  friends  above,  who  draw  them  to  the 
surface  by  a  rope.  The  Oysters  are  then  left  to  putrefy  for 
eome  weeks,  when  they  are  carefully  washed,  and  the  pearls 
extracted . 

*  Most  people  are  acquainted  with  the  proverb,  that  oysters  are  in  season  during 
the  months  in  which  is  the  letter  R. 


470  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family,  Meleagrimdse. — (Gr. 

MELEAGRINA. 


Margaritifgra  (Lat  Margarita,  a  pearl ;  fero,  I  bear),  the  Pearl  Oyster. 

The  Chinese  have  a  method  of  forcing  oysters,  or  rather 
mussels,  to  form  pearls,  by  artfully  placing  beads  in  their  shells, 
round  which  a  layer  of  nacre  is  deposited,  and  the  beads  then 
perfectly  resemble  real  pearls. 


THE    MUSSEL. 

The  SEA  MUSSELS  are  usually  fixed  where  the  tide  leaves 
them  alternately  wet  and  dry,  and  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that 
those  "  shell-fish"  which  are  exposed  to  variations  of  this  kind 
are  enabled  to  close  their  shells  so  firmly  as  to  prevent  any 
evaporation.  One  species  is  extensively  used  as  an  article  of 
food. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family,  Mytilidse. — (Gr.  Mvrihoe,  a  Mussel.) 


Edulis  (Lat.  edible),  the  Edible  Mussel 

The  river  mussels  occasionally  produce  pearls  of  some  value 
The  nacre  of  these  mussels  is  of  a  beautiful  azure  blue. 


Order,  CIRRHOPODA.—(Gv.  Uevre,  five;  £Aaojua,  a  plate.) 

PENTALASMIS. 


Anatifera  (Lat.  Goose-bearing},  the  Bernicle. 

At  first  sight,  the  Bernicle  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  a 
mussel-shell  fixed  to  a  long  stem.  On  a  closer  examination, 
however,  the  difference  is  at  once  apparent.  The  shell  is  in 
fact  composed  of  Jive  pieces,  and  through  the  aperture  of  the 


472  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

shell  are  thrust  two  rows  of  arms,  or  "  cirrhi,"  as  they  are  more 
properly  called.  These  cirrhi  serve  to  entangle  the  small  crus- 
tacea  or  molluscs  which  pass  near  their  sphere  of  action,  and 
which  are  then  carried  to  the  mouth  and  speedily  devoured. 

The  Bernicle  is  always  found  adhering  to  some  larger  object, 
usually  floating  wood,  and  is  very  common  on  the  hulls  of  ships. 
Although  the  perfect  animal  is  permanently  fixed,  it  has  been 
discovered  that  the  young  are  free  and  capable  of  locomotion ; 
nor  is  it  until  a  week  or  two  has  passed,  that  they  finally  settle 
themselves. 

The  name  Anatifera  or  Goose-bearing,  has  been  given  to 
this  animal  on  account  of  the  ancient  story  of  the  production 
of  the  Bernicle-goose.  This  fable  has  already  been  related 
under  the  article,  Bernicle-goose. 


NATl'itAL    HISTORY.  473 


Class  VII.  . .  CRUSTACEA. — (Lnt.  Crusta,  a  crust  or  shell.) 
Sub-class  I..  MALACOSTRACA.—  ( Gr.   MaAn/to'f,   soft;    ZarpaKov,  n 
shell.)* 

Order  I DECAPODA. — (Gr.  Ae«a?  ten ;  irwf,  a  foot.) 

Sub-order  T.  BECAPODA-BRACHYURA. — (Gr.  Bpajvf,  short;  ovpd,  a  tail.) 
Family  I.  .  .   Cancendw. — (Lat.  Cancer,  a  Crab.) 


Pagurus,  the  Crab. 

The  CRUSTACEA  are  almost  all  aquatic  animals.  They  have 
no  internal  skeleton,  but  their  body  is  covered  with  a  strong 
crust,  which  serves  for  protection  as  well  as  for  strength. 
Their  whole  framework  consists  of  a  series  of  rings  fitted  to, 
and  working  in  each  other ;  some  forming  limbs,  and  others 
developing  into  the  frame  work  supporting  the  different  organs. 
From  this  reason,  they  and  the  remaining  animals,  as  far  as 
the  star-fishes,  who  have  no  limbs,  are  called  "  articulated" 
animals. 

*  So  called  because  their  shell  is  soft  compared  with  that  of  the  univalve  or  bivalve 
molluscs. 


474  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Their  method  of  growth  is  very  curious.  Other  animals  as 
they  increase  in  size  experience  •  no  particular  inconvenience 
Not  so  the  Crustacea.  Their  bodies  are  closely  enveloped  in  a 
strong,  unyielding  mail,  which  cannot  grow  with  them.  Their 
armour  is  therefore  cast  off  every  year,  and  a  fresh  coat  formed 
to  suit  their  increased  dimensions.  Not  only  is  the  armour 
cast  off,  but  even  the  covering  of  the  eyes,  the  tendons  of  the 
claws,  and  the  lining  membrane  of  the  stomach,  with  its 
teeth. 

They  all  also  possess  the  curious  power  of  reproducing  a  lost 
or  injured  limb.  In  the  former  case,  a  fresh  limb  supplies  the 
place  of  that  lost ;  and  in  the  latter  case,  the  animal  itself 
shakes  off  the  injured  joint,  and  a  new  one  soon  takes  its  place. 
Lobsters,  when  alarmed,  frequently  throw  off  their  claws. 

The  Decapods,  as  their  name  imports,  are  the  fortunate 
possessors  of  ten  legs,  five  at  each  side.  They  also  possess 
three  pairs  of  jaws,  besides  the  teeth  in  the  stomach.  They 
breathe  by  means  of  branchiae  or  gills,  fixed  at  each  side  of 
the  throat,  or  chest,  often  erroneously  called  the  head.* 

The  COMMON  CRAB  belongs  to  the  short-tailed  Decapods. 
It  is  abundently  taken  on  our  coasts  by  fishermen,  who  employ 
for  its  capture  a  wicker  basket  called  a  "  creel"  or  crab-pot. 
The  crab-pots  are  made  each  with  an  aperture  which  permits 
the  animal  to  enter,  but  forbids  its  egress — just  like  a  common 
wire  mouse-trap.  A  piece  of  a  fish  is  fastened  at  the  bottom 
of  the  creel,  and  the  whole  apparatus  let  down  to  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  guarded  by  a  line  connected  with  a  float,  by  means 
of  which  the  fishermen  draw  it  up  and  then  remove  its  con- 
tents. Each  float  has  a  peculiar  mark,  by  which  the  fisher- 
man knows  ,his  own.  "When  taken,  the  crabs  are  kept  alive 
in  well-boats,  until  wanted. 

*  These  animals  have  no  distinct  head  ;  that  and  the  thorax  being  merged  into 
what  naturalists  call  "  cephalo-thorax,"  or  head-thorax, 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-order  II.  DECAPODA-ANOMOURA. — (Gr.  'A.vofio^,  unaccustomed;  ovpd 

a  tail.) 
Family  III.  .  Pagurldffl.— (Gr.  Tl/iyvvfu,  to  fix;  ovpd  a  tail.) 

PAGt'RUS. 


Bernhardus  (Lat.  proper  name),  the  Hermit  Crab. 

The  HERMIT  CRAB  is  not  so  well  protected  as  most  of  his 
relations,  for  his  tail  has  no  shelly  armour.  He  is  therefore 
forced  to  protect  his  undefended  tail  by  putting  it  into  an 
empty  shell,  usually  that  of  a  whelk,  and  then  walks  about, 
dragging  his  curious  house  after  him.  Sometimes,  two  hermit 
crabs  wish  to  obtain  possession  of  the  same  shell,  and  then 
there  is  a  battle  royal.  When  the  crab  grows  larger,  he  only 
has  to  change  his  old  shell  for  a  new  one,  and  it  is  very  amus- 
ing to  see  them  slipping  their  tails,  first  into  one  shell,  and 
then  into  another,  until  they  have  pleased  themselves  with  a 
good  fit. 

The  Land  Crabs  make  annual  excursions  to  the  sea  in  large 
armies.  They  go  straight  forward,  and  nothing  except  a  house 
or  such  insurmountable  barrier  can  stop  them.  Those  of 
Jamaica  are  particularly  celebrated. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Sub-order  III.  DECAPODA-MACROURA. — (Gr.  Ma«p<>f,  large ;  ovpd,  a  tail.) 
Family  V.  .  .  Astacidse. — (Gr.  'Aara/cof,  a  Lobster.) 

POTAMOBIUS. — (Gr.  ITora/zof,  a  river ;  f)wu,  to  live.) 


AstScus,  the  Crayfish. 

The  long-tailed  crustaceans  include  the  Lobster,  Shrimp,  &c. 

The  RIVER  CRAY-FISH  is  common  in  most  of  our  rivers  and 
brooks.  It  resides  in  holes  in  the  bank,  sometimes  excavated 
by  itself,  but  more  often  the  deserted  habitations  of  water-rats. 
In  rocky  situations  it  lives  under  and  among  the  stones.  The 
excellence  and  delicacy  of  its  flesh  causes  it  to  be  much  sought 
after.  The  usual  method  of  catching  these  animals  is  by  low- 
ering a  net  to  the  bottom  of  the  water,  baited  with  a  piece  of 
meat.  The  cray-fish  soon  discover  this  and  come  in  numbers 
to  the  bait,  when  the  net  is  suddenly  hauled  up,  and  most  of 
the  cray-fish  secured.  Some,  however,  escape  by  darting  off 
backwards,  a  movement  produced  by  the  violent  bending  of 
their  tails.  It  is  a  favourite  amusment  with  boys  to  search 
for  them  in  their  holes,  and  drag  them  from  their  conceal- 
ment. 


.NATURAL   HISTORY. 


ASTACUS. 


Gammarus,  the  Lobster. 


The  common  LOBSTER  is  found  in  great  abundance  on  our 
coasts,  usually  in  the  clear  rocky  waters.  The  fishermen 
take  great  numbers  of  lobsters  in  baskets  made  on  the  same 
principle  as  those  used  for  the  capture  of  the  crab.  The 
powerful  tail  of  the  lobsters  enables  them  to  spring  through 
a  great  distance  if  alarmed,  and  they  have  been  seen  to  pass 
nearly  thirty  feet.  They  direct  their  course  with  wonderful 
accuracy,  and  can  throw  themselves  through  apertures  hardly 
larger  than  the  size  of  their  bodies  :  of  course  they  spring  tail 
foremost. 

The  grasp  of  the  lobster's  claw  is  so  tight  that  to  break 
off  the  claws  is  often  the  only  method  of  disengaging  its 
hold. 

Although  enormous  quantities  are  destroyed  every  year  they 
are  so  prolific  that  the  supply  never  fails. 

The  so-called  lady's-fingers  of  the  Lobster  are  its  breathing 
apparatus. 


478 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family  VI.  Crangonidse. — (Gr.  Kpayywf,  a  Shrimp.) 

CRANGOX. 

Family  VIII.  Palsemonidse. — (Gr.  HaXaipuv,  a  proper  name.) 

PAL.EMOX. 


Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Shrimp. 

Serratus  (Lat.  toothed,  jagged),  the  Prawn. 


These  two  animals  are  so  familiar  to  every  one  as  to  need 
but  little  description.  Both  are  taken  in  nets  swept  along  the 
sandy  bottom  of  the  sea.  The  chief  distinction  in  the  appear- 
ance of  these  two  creatures  is  the  serrated  or  toothed  ridge 
which  runs  along  the  back  of  the  head  or  rather  carapace. 
When  in  their  natural  state,  they  are  of  a  brown  colour,  and 
only  assume  the  pinkish  hue  when  boiled.  Spirits  of  wine  has 
the  same  effect. 

The  Fresh- Water  Shrimp  (Gammarus  Pulex),  and  the 
Water-Flea  (Daphnia  Pulex),  both  so  common  in  our  rivers 
and  ponds,  are  placed  among  the  Crustacese. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  479 


Class  VIII.  ARACHNTOA.— (Gr.  'Apdxvtjf,  a  Spider.) 
Order.  .  .  .  PULMONARIA.* — (Lat.  Pulmo,  the  Lungs.) 
Family .  .  .  Araneidse. — Lat.  Aranea,  a  Spider.) 

MYGALK. — (Gr.  MvyaAj?,  the  Shrew-mouse.) 


Avicularia  (Lat.  Aviculus,  a  little  Bird),  the  Bird  Spider. 

The  Class  ARACHNIDA,  or  the  Spiders,  are  by  many  supposed 
to  be  insects.  Such,  however,  is  not  the  case.  The  Arachnida 
possess  eight  legs,  while  the  true  Insects  only  have  six ;  they 
undergo  no  transformations,  they  possess  no  wings  or  antennae 
(the  place  of  the  latter  organs  being  supplied  either  by  two 
jointed  claws,  as  in  the  Scorpions,  or  by  two  fangs,  as  in  the 
Spiders) ;  and  their  eyes  are  simple  instead  of  compound. 

Could  people  divest  themselves  of  the  horror  felt  at  the  sight 
of  these  creatures,  especially  of  the  larger  sort,  they  would  be 
well  repaid  by  the  interesting  instinct  displayed  by  all  the 
Spiders,  who  do  not  differ  from  each  other  more  in  form  than  in 

*  So  called,  because  the  animals  belonging  to  this  class  breathe  by  means  of  air- 
sacs,  called  by  Latreille,  Pneumobranchise,  or  lung-gills.  The  Trachearia,  on  the 
contrary,  breathe  by  means  of  trachese,  or  air-tubes  branching  through  the  whole 
system,  like  the  insects. 


480  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

habits.  Those  of  our  own  country  afford  an  ample  field,  which 
has  been  as  yet  but  imperfectly  trodden.  There  are  the  Gossa- 
mer Spiders,  who  float  high  into  the  air,  borne  upon  an  almost 
invisible  thread  ;  the  Water  Spiders,  who  form  an  air-tight 
dwelling  under  the  wave ;  the  Hunting  Spiders,  that  creep 
stealthily  upon  their  prey,  and  then  spring  on  it  like  lightning  ; 
the  beautiful  Garden  Spiders,  who  weave  from  their  self-af- 
forded stores  their  geometrical  nets ;  the  Pirate  Spiders,  who 
skim  over  the  surface  of  the  waters,  and  snatch  up  the  drown- 
ing and  helpless  fly ;  together  with  many  others,  whose  form 
and  habits  must  be  familiar  to  any  observer  of  Nature. 

On  account  of  the  limited  space  that  can  be  given  to  each 
Class,  a  short  account  of  some  of  the  principal  species  of  this 
class  is  all  that  can  be  given. 

The  enormous  Spider  represented  above  is  a  native  of 
Surinam,  arid  was  brought  into  notice  by  that  indefatigable 
naturalist,  Madame  Merian.  Her  account  of  it  is  very  short. 
She  relates  that  it  carries  about  with  it  a  habitation,  re- 
sembling the  cocoon  of  some  of  the  moths,  and  that  it  is 
armed  with  sharp  fangs  and  inflicts  dangerous  wrounds,  at 
the  same  time  injecting  into  the  wound  a  poisonous  liquid. 
She  also  tells  us  that  it  feeds  principally  upon  ants,  but  that 
in  their  absence  it  drags  little  birds  out  of  their  nests,  arid 
then,  as  she  pathetically  observes,  "  sucks  all  the  blood  out  of 
their  poor  little  bodies."*  Here,  however,  it  is  generally  sup- 
posed that  Madame  Merian  has  been  imposed  upon,  as  is 
evidently  the  case  in  another  portion  of  her  work,  where  she 
has  drawn  a  curious  insect,  compounded  of  the  head  of  a 
lantern-fly,  and  the  body  of  a  cicada,  She  seems  to  have 
had  her  doubts  on  the  subject,  for  she  says,  "  The  Indians  told 
me."t 

The  common  Garden,  or  Geometrical  Spider,  as  it  is  called 
from  the  mathematical  regularity  of  its  net,  is  an  excellent 
example  of  the  Spiders.  The  net  is  formed  from  a  gummy 
substance  secreted  in  an  apparatus  called  the  spinneret, 
through  the  holes  of  which  the  gummy  secretion  is  drawn 
and  becomes  hard  when  exposed  to  the  air.  Each  thread 

*  "  Formicarum  defectu,  ipsas  e  nidis  tollunt  aviculas,  onmemque  corpusculis 
cruorem  exsugunt."— Merian.  Met.  Insect.  Sur.  p.  18. 
t  "  Persuasum  milii  ab  Indis  est  " — Id.  p.  49. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  481 

is  composed  of  many  thousand  lines.  "When  the  web  is  com- 
pleted, the  Spider  generally  hides  itself  under  a  leaf  or  other 
convenient  lurking-place,  and  from  thence  pounces  upon  any 
unwary  fly  that  has  entangled  itself  in  the  slender  meshes. 
Should  the  fly  he  a  large  one,  the  Spider  rapidly  encircles  it 
with  fresh  threads  until  it  has  bound  its  wings  and  legs  to  the 
body,  and  then  breaking  off"  the  few  threads  that  held  it  to  the 
net,  bears  it  off  triumphantly  to  its  hiding-place.  Frequently 
the  Geometrical  Spider  sits  in  the  centre  of  the  web,  appar- 
ently enjoying  the  air,  and  if  disturbed  shakes  the  net  so  vio- 
lently that  its  shape  is  completely  obscured  by  the  rapidity  of 
the  vibrations. 

The  House  Spider  makes  a  thicker  and  irregular  web,  and 
hides  itself  at  the  bottom  of  a  silken  tunnel  communicating 
with  the  web.* 

Several  endeavours  have  been  made  to  procure  silk  from 
spiders,  but  although  sufficient  has  been  obtained  to  weave 
gloves  from,  yet  spiders  are  so  pugnacious  that  they  cannot  be 
kept  together.  The  eggs  of  the  Spiders  are  enclosed  in  a  silken 
bag,  and  when  hatched,  the  young  keep  closely  together,  and 
when  dispersed  by  an  alarm,  soon  reassemble. 

The  Tarantula,  whose  bite  was  fabled  to  procure  convulsions 
which  could  only  be  appeased  by  music,  is  a  spider  of  consider- 
able size,  inhabiting  the  south  of  Europe.  It  lives  in  holes 
about  four  inches  deep  in  the  ground. 


THE    SCORPION. 

These  formidable  creatures  inhabit  most  of  the  hotter  parts 
of  the  globe.  They  are  quite  as  pugnacious  as  the  spiders,  and 
if  several  are  placed  in  one  box,  they  will  fight  until  few  sur- 
vive, who  immediately  devour  their  fallen  foes. 

The  maxillae  of  the  SCORPION  are  developed  into  large  claws, 
like  those  of  the  lobster.  With  these,  the  Scorpion  seizes  its 
prey,  and  while  holding  it  pierces  it  with  its  sting,  which  is 
situated  at  the  extremity  of  its  tail.  The  tail  is  composed  of 
six  joints,  rendering  it  very  flexible. 

*  An  acquaintance  of  mine  had  so  far  tamed  a  huge  house  spider,  that  it  would 
come  and  take  a  fly  out  of  his  hand.  He  states,  that  as  it  sat  at  the  bottom  of  its  den, 
its  eyes  gleamed  like  diamonds. 

X 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family,  Scorpionidae. — (Lai.  Scorpio,  a  Scorpion.) 
SCORPIO. 

N  f~ 


Europaeus  (Lai  European),  the  Scorpion. 

The  sting  of  this  creature  is  exceedingly  painful,  and  with 
some  persons  dangerous ;  indeed,  the  sting  of  the  large  black 
Scorpion  of  Ceylon  is  said  to  cause  death. 


Order,  TRACHEARIA. — (From  Trachea,  a  word  used  to  represent 
tubes  through  which  insects  and  other  animals  breathe ; — 
the  windpipe.) 

Family,  Acaridse.— (Gr.  *  A/cap*,  a  Mite.) 


These  creatures  are  mostly  minute,  requiring  the  aid  of  a 
microscope  fully  to  develop  their  form ;  but  some  are  considera- 
bly larger,  and  their  organs  can  be  distinguished  with  the  naked 
eye.  In  this  order  are  included  the  common  cheese  mite,  the 
harvest-bug,  the  water  mites,  &c. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  483 

Class  IX. . .  INSECTA. — (Lat.  Insccare,  to  cut  into.) 

Sub-class  I.  INSECTA  MANDIBULATA.— (Lat.  mandare,  to  chew.) 

Order  I.  :  .  COLEOPT£RA.—(Gr.   KoAto'f,   a  sheath;    Trreptw,   a 

wing.) 
Family  I.  . .  Cicindelidae.     (Lat.  a  Glowworm.) 


Campestris  (Lat  of  the  fields),  the  Tiger-beetle. 

The  body  of  an  insect  is  divided  or  cut  into  three  parts, 
called  the  head,  the  thorax,  and  the  abdomen.  The  body  is 
defended  by  a  horny  integument,  divided  into  rings  and  con- 
nected by  a  softer  membrane.  The  legs  are  six  in  number. 
Many  insects  possess  wings,  and  in  all  the  rudiments  of  those 
organs  are  perceptible.  The  eyes  are  compound,  that  is,  a 
number  of  eyes  are  massed  together  at  each  side  of  the  head  ; 
and  so  numerous  are  they,  that  in  the  compound  eyes  of  the 
ant  are  50  lenses,  in  the  house-fly,  8,000,  in  the  butterfly, 
17,000,  and  in  the  hawk-moth,  20,000. 

The  insects  pass  through  three  transformations  before  they 
attain  their  perfect  form.  The  first  state  is  called  the  larva,* 
because  .the  future  insect  is  masked  under  that  form ;  the 
second  is  called  the  puparf  on  account  of  the  shape  often  as- 
sumed ;  and  the  third  is  called  the  imago^  as  being  the  image 
of  the  perfect  creature.  Insects  breathe  by  means  of  air-tubes, 
called  tracheae,  which  penetrate  to  every  part  of  the  body, 
even  to  the  extremities  of  the  limbs,  antennse  and  wings. 
The  air  gains  access  to  the  tubes  by  means  of  small  apertures 

*  From  Lat.  Larva,  a  mask.  t  From  Lat.  Pupa,  a  doll. 

}  From  Lat.  Imago,  an  image  or  effigy. 


484  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

called  spiracles.  The  tubes  are  prevented  from  collapsing  by  a 
delicate  thread  wound  spirally  between  the  two  membranes 
of  which  the  tubes  are  composed.  This  wonderful  and  beau- 
tiful arrangement  not  only  prevents  the  tubes  from  collapsing, 
but  keeps  them  flexible.  There  are,  according  to  Stephens, 
whose  arrangement  is  the  one  usually  followed,  fourteen  orders 
of  insects.  Examples  will  be  given  of  each,  and  their  names 
explained.  The  most  perfect  insects  are  placed  first. 

There  are  two  great  divisions  of  insects,  namely,  those  which 
bite  and  eat  solid  food  with  jaws,  as  the  beetles,  locusts,  bees, 
&c.,  and  those  which  suck  liquid  food  through  a  proboscis,  as 
the  butterflies,  flies,  &c.  The  first  order  of  insects  derives  its 
name  from  the  sheath  or  covering  with  which  the  wings  are 
defended.*  This  is  a  very  extensive  order,  as,  exclusive  of 
exotic  and  other  foreign  beetles,  there  have  been  discovered 
no  less  than  three  thousand ;  five  hundred  inhabit  England 
The  first  in  order  of  the  British  insects,  are  the  TIGER-BEE- 
TLES, so  called  from  their  activity  and  voracity.  The  most 
common  of  these  is  the  ordinary  Green  Tiger-beetle,  that 
may  be  seen  any  hot  summer's  day,  glancing  in  the  sun  on 
gandy  banks.  The  exceeding  beauty  of  this  insect  is  beyond 
all  description.  The  upper  surface  of  the  body  is  a  deep,  dead 
green,  changing  under  the  microscope  to  a  glossy  gold,  shot 
with  red  and  green,  the  surface  of  the  abdomen  covered  by 
the  wings,  and  the  entire  under-surface  of  the  body,  brilliant 
emerald  green,  and  when  the  insect  is  on  the  wing  it  sparkles 
in  the  sun  like  a  flying  gem.  Nor  is  this  the  last  of  its  at- 
tractions, for  when  handled  it  gives  forth  a  scent  closely  re- 
sembling that  of  the  verbena.  It  is  indeed  as  beautiful  among 
insects  as  the  tiger  is  among  beasts,  and  is,  perhaps,  the  more 
ferocious  of  the  two.  It  runs  and  flies  with  great  activity,  and 
takes  to  the  wing  as  easily  as  a  bee  or  fly,  and  is  an  conse- 
quence rather  difficult  to  capture  without  a  net.  Its  jaws  are 
long,  sharp,  curved  like  a  sickle,  and  armed  with  several  teeth. 
Its  eyes  are  large  and  prominent,  enabling  it  to  see  on  all  bides. 
Its  length  is  rather  more  than  half  an  inch. 

*  This,  as  well  as  the  general  covering  of  insects,  is  composed  principally  of  a 
substance  called  by  chemists,  chit  me, 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 
Family,  Carabidae.— (Gr.  Kapc^of  a  Beetle.) 

CAB  A  BUS. 


Cancellatus  (Lat.  chequered),  the  Ground-beetle. 

The  GROUND-BEETLE  is  one  of  our  largest  and  most  beautiful 
beetles.  Its  general  colour  is  a  coppery  green,  and  its  wing- 
cases  are  ornamented  with  several  rows  of  oblong  raised  spots- 
Its  length  is  about  an  inch. 


Family,  Silphidae. — (Gr.  1,'ityri,  a  Bury  ing-beetle.) 
NECROPHAGUS. — (Gr.  Ne/cpof,  a  dead  body ;  Qayelv,  to  eat) 


Vespillo  (Lat.  a  bearer  of  the  dead,)  the  Burying-beetle. 

This  curious  beetle  derives  its  name  from  its  habit  of  bury- 
ing any  small  dead  animal  left  on  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
With  such  rapidity  does  it  work,  that  two  beetles  have  been 
known  to  cover  up  a  sparrow  within  a  few  hours ;  and  so  un- 


486  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

wearied  are  they,  that  if  several  Burying-beetles  are  placed  in 
a  vessel  filled  with  earth,  and  kept  constantly  supplied  with 
dead  frogs,  mice,  &c.,  they  will  continue  to  bury  them  as  long 
as  the  supply  is  kept  up.  The  object  of  this  remarkable  in- 
stinct, so  beneficial  in  its  effects,  is  to  furnish  food  for  the  young 
who  are  hatched  from  eggs  laid  in  the  body  of  the  animal  dur- 
ing its  burial.  In  this  way  innumerable  carcasses  which  would 
pollute  the  atmosphere  are  removed,  and  made  beneficial  to 
the  soil. 


Family,  Lucanidse. — (Lat.  Lucanus,  the  Stag-beetle.) 

LUNCANUS. 
Family,  Geotrupidse. — (Gr.  1^,  the  Earth;  rpvirdo,  to  bore.) 

GEOTRUPE8. 

Family,  Melolonthidae.— (Gr.  HbjfoMitiii,  a  Cockchaffer.) 

MELOLONTHA. 


Cervus  (Lat  a  Stag),  the  Staff-beetle. 
Stercorarius  (Lat.  Dung),  the  Dor-beetle. 
Vulgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Cockchafer. 

The  LAMELLICORN  BEETLES  are  exceeedingly  useful  to  man- 
kind.    Many  of  them  act  as  scavengers  and  farmers,  for  they 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  487 

not  only  remove  putrefying  substances  from  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  but  bury  them  beneath. 

The  STAG-BEETLE  is  the  largest  of  British  insects.  Although 
so  formidably  armed,  it  is  quite  harmless,  and  only  uses  its  enor- 
mous jaws  to  break  the  tender  bark  of  trees,  in  order  that  the 
sap,  on  which  it  feeds,  may  exude.  The  mouth  of  this  beetle 
is  very  small,  and  is  furnished  with  a  brush,  with  which  it  licks 
up  the  food.  Several  of  these  beetles  lived  for  some  time  on 
moist  sugar.  During  the  winter,  it  hides  in  the  earth,  making 
for  itself  a  kind  of  cave,  very  smooth  inside.*  This  beetle  is 
common  in  the  New  Forest. 

The  DOR-BEETLE  is  a  very  common  English  insect.  At  the 
approach  of  evening,  it  may  be  seen  whirling  round  in  the  air 
with  a  dull  humming  sound.  The  country  children  call  it  the 
Watchman,  comparing  it  to  a  watchman  going  his  rounds  in 
the  evening.  It  usually  lays  its  eggs  on  a  rounded  mass  of  cow- 
dung,  and  then  buries  the  whole  mass  in  the  ground.  When 
caught,  it  pretends  to  be  dead.f 

The  COCKCHAFFER  needs  not  much  description.  Its  larva 
works  great  mischief  during  the  spring,  as  it  feeds  on  the  roots 
of  plants,  and  cuts  them  off  with  its  sharp  sickle-like  jaws. 
Where  many  of  these  "  grubs"  have  been,  the  grass  curls  up, 
and  dries  like  hay.  One  farmer  actually  collected  eighty  bush- 
els of  the  grubs  of  the  Cockchaffer  on  his  farm.  Fortunately 
the  thrushes,  blackbirds,  rooks,  and  many  other  birds  are  invete- 
rate destroyers  of  the  grubs,  and  devour  myriads  of  them.  It 
is  for  this  purpose  that  these  birds  pull  up  the  grass,  and  not  to 
spoil  or  devour  the  herbage,  as  is  generally  supposed. 

The  huge  Hercules  and  Atlas  Beetles,  and  larger  still,  the 
Goliath  Beetle,  belong  to  the  Lamellicorns. 

*  In  the  Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford,  is  an  excellent  specimen  of  the  winter  hab- 
itation of  this  beetle,  with  Ihe  beetle  itself  enclosed. 

t  The  Dor-beetle  is  very  tenacious  of  life.  I  have  now  in  my  cabinet  a  specimen 
of  this  insect,  which  1  took  on  the  wing.  It  had  lost  several  legs,  one  wing-cover  or 
elytron,  the  whole  of  the  contents  of  the  abdomen,  and  part  of  the  thorax.  I  suppose 
that  a  bird  must  have  been  eating  it,  and  have  been  disturbed,  for  when  thrushes, 
blackbirds,  jackdaws,  <fec.  eat  large  beetles,  they  begin  by  picking  off  the  wings,  limbs, 
<fcc.  I  also  took,  in  May  1852,  a  cockchaffer  walking  along  very  unconcernedly,  who 
had  lost  both  his  wings  and  elytra,  and  all  the  contents  of  the  abdomen. 


438  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Family,  LampyrTdse. — (Gr.  AU/OTU,  to  shine ;  ovpd,  a  tail.) 
LAMPYRIS. 


Noctiluca  (Lat.  night-shining),  the  Glowworm. 

The  GLOWWORM  may  be  seen  in  the  warm  summer  even- 
ings, shedding  its  pale  green  light  on  grassy  banks.  The  female 
insect  gives  out  a  much  stronger  light  than  the  male,  and 
there  is  some  light  visible  even  in  the  larva.  The  light  of  this 
insect  proceeds  from  the  abdomen.  The  light  given  out  by 
the  firefly,  another  kind  of  beetle  inhabiting  South  America, 
proceeds  from  three  yellow  tubercles  placed  on  the  throat. 
The  grub  or  larva  of  the  Glowworm  is  of  a  singular  form,  and 
is  furnished  with  a  brush  at  the  extremity  of  the  tail,  with 
which  it  cleanses  its  body  from  dust  or  the  slime  of  the  snails 
on  which  it  frequently  feeds. 


THE   DEATH-WATCH. 

The  formerly  terrible  DEATH-WATCH,  is  now  generally 
known  to  be  merely  a  small  beetle.  Indeed  it  is  nothing 
more  than  the  creature  that  perforates  the  round  holes  in  old 
"  worm-eaten"  furniture  and  wood-work.  The  "  ticking" 
is  produced  by  striking  the  head  against  the  wood.  If  there 
is  a  Death-Watch  in  the  room,  it  is  easy  to  incite  it  to  begin 
to  tick,  by  striking  with  the  head  of  a  pin  on  the  panelling. 
There  are  several  insects  that  produce  this  sound,  the  Anobium 
striatum,  tesselatum,  and  pertinax.  The  last  named  is  so 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Family,  Ptinidse. 
ANOBIUM. 


Tesselatum  (Lat  tesseiated),  the  Death-  Watch. 

called  from  the  pertinacity  with  which  it  simulates  death  if 
alarmed,  preferring  to  suffer  the  severest  treatment  rather  than 
give  signs  of  life. 


Family,  Cerambycida 


,  the  Musk-beetle.) 


CEUAMBYX. 


Moschatus  (Lat.  musky),  the  Musk-beetle. 

The  beautiful  Beetles  of  which  the  common  MUSK-BEETLE 
is  an  excellent  example  vary  considerably  in  size ;  some 
being  several  inches  in  length,  while  some  are  hardly  one- 


490  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

quarter  of  an  inch  long.  The  extreme  length  of  their  antennae 
is  the  most  conspicious  property,  and  from  that  peculiarity  they 
are  at  once  recognized.* 

The  Musk-beetle  is  a  large  insect,  common  in  most  parts  of 
England.  It  is  extremely  common  at  Oxford,  and  is  found  in 
old  willow-trees,  with  which  Oxford  is  surrounded.  •  Its  pecu- 
liar scent,  something  resembling  that  of  roses,  often  betrays  its 
presence,  when  its  green  colour  would  have  kept  it  concealed. 
When  touched,  it  emits  a  curious  sound,  not  unlike  that  of  a  bat, 
but  more  resembling  the  faint  scratching  of  a  perpendicularly- 
held  slate  pencil.  Its  larva  bores  deep  holes  in  the  trees,  which 
are  often  quite  honeycombed  by  them. 


THE    ROVE    BEETLE. 

The  ROVE-BEETLES  form  an  exceedingly  extensive  section. 
Some  are  so  small  as  to  require  the  assistance  of  the  microscope 
to  discover  their  shape,  and  others,  as  those  represented  on  the 
next  page,  are  more  than  an  inch  in  length.  The  small  species 
are  usually  on  the  wing,  and  it  is  very  amusing  to  see  them 
alight,  and  with  their  flexible  tails  tuck  their  long  and  beauti- 
fully shaped  wings  under  the  elytra,  run  about  for  a  moment, 
and  then  again  take  to  flight.  These  are  the  creatures  that 
cause  so  much  annoyance  by  flying  into  one's  mouth  or  eye  in 
the  warm  months. 

The  GREAT  ROVE-BEETLE  is  commonly  found  upon  decaying 
animal  substances.  It  is  most  formidably  armed  with  two  large, 
curved,  sharp  mandibles,  the  bite  of  which  is  tolerably  severe ; 
and  more  than  once,  when  the  creature  has  been  recently  feed- 
ing upon  putrid  substances,  dangerous  results  have  followed. 

I  much  regret  that  want  of  space  has  withheld  me  from 
giving  accounts  of  many  most  interesting  beetles,  particularly 
some  of  the  Carabidae,  the  Silphida?,  Ptinidee,  and  the  Water- 

*  A  small  moth,  Adela  de  Geerella,  possesses  the  same  peculiarity.  The  length  of 
the  moth  is  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  and  the  length  of  the  antenna?  more  than  an 
inch  and  a  half.  The  antennae  wave  about  with  every  breath  of  air,  as  if  the  insect 
had  become  entangled  in  a  spider's  web,  and  escaped  with  some  of  the  loose  threads 
floating  about  it. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Family,  Staphylimdse.—  (Gr.  Sra^An/of,  the  Rove-beetle.) 
CHEOPHILUS.  —  (Gr.  Kpeus,  flesh  ;  <j>ifaiv,  to  love.) 


Maxillosus  (LaL  large-jawed),  the  Rove-beetle. 

beetles.  These  last  inhabit  the  water,  and  swim  with  re- 
markable activity.  They  occasionally  come  to  the  surface  for 
a  fresh  supply  of  air,  which  they  carry  down  between  the  ely- 
tra and  the  upper  surface  of  the  abdomen.  They  fly  very 
well,  but  the  construction  of  their  limbs  prevents  them  from 
walking.  They  cannot  be  kept  in  a  limited  space,  as  they 
are  very  fierce  and  voracious,  and  in  one  case  when  a  male 
and  female  were  placed  in  a  jar  filled  with  water,  only  one 
day  elapsed  before  the  male  was  found  dead  and  half  devoured 
by  his  disconsolate  widow. 

The  EARWIG  is  placed  in  an  order  by  itself,  called  Der- 
maptera  from  the  soft  elytra.  The  wings  are  large  and  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful,  and  the  method  of  folding  by  which  they 
are  packed  under  the  very  small  elytra  is  very  curious.  The 
use  of  the  forceps  seems  principally  for  the  purpose  of  folding 
the  wings  and  placing  them  in  their  proper  position  under 
the  elytra.  Ten  species  of  earwigs  inhabit  England.  The 
eggs  of  the  earwigs  are  hatched,  and  the  young  protected  by 
the  parent. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Order  IIL   ORTHOPTERA.—(Gr.  'Op0of,  straight;  irrepov,  a  wiug.) 
Family  . . .  Locustidse. — (Lat.  Locusta,  a  Locust.) 


Tartarica  (Lat.  of  Tartary),  the  Locust. 

These  pests  of  the  warmer  countries  of  the  earth  belong  to 
the  order  called  Orthoptera,  because  the  wings  are  not  folded 
transversely. 

They  fly  in  countless  myriads,  and  where  they  descend, 
they  devour  every  particle  of  green  herbage — the  trees  are  strip- 
ped of  their  leaves,  the  grass  and  corn  is  eaten  to  the  very 
ground  ;  for  their  jaws  are  so  strong  as  to  inflict  a  severe 
wound  when  the  insect  is  incautiously  handled.  Nor  does  the 
mischief  end  with  their  life,  for  their  dead  bodies  often  accumu- 
late in  such  numbers  that  the  air  is  even  dangerously  infected. 
They  infest  Africa  and  central  Asia,  but  they  annually  make 
incursions  to  Europe,  where  the  damage  they  occasion  is  much 
less  reparable  than  in  their  native  lands,  for  there  the  power  of 
vegetation  is  so  great  that  a  few  days  repair  the  injuries  caused 
by  them,  but  in  Europe  a  whole  year  is  required  for  that  pur- 

CThe  following  account  of  these  creatures  is  extracted 
i  Mr.  Cumming's  South  Africa : — 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  493 

"  On  the  following  day  I  had  the  pleasure  of  beholding  the 
first  flight  of  locusts  that  I  had  seen  since  my  arrival  in  the 
colony.  We  were  standing  in  the  middle  of  a  plain  of  unlim- 
ited length,  and  ahout  five  miles  across,  when  I  observed  them 
advancing.  On  they  came  like  a  snow-storm,  flying  slow  and 
steady,  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  ground.  I  stood  look- 
ing at  them  until  the  air  was  darkened  with  their  masses, 
while  the  plain  on  which  we  stood  became  densely  covered  with 
them.  Far  as  my  eye  could  reach,  east,  west,  north,  and  south, 
they  stretched  in  one  unbroken  cloud ;  and  more  than  an  hour 
elapsed  before  their  devastating  legions  had  swept  by.  .  .  . 

"  Locusts  afford  fattening  and  wholesome  food  to  man,  birds, 
and  all  sorts  of  beasts  ;  cows  and  horses,  lions,  jackals,  hyaenas, 
antelopes,  elephants,  &c.  devour  them.  We  met  a  party  of 
Batlapis  carrying  heavy  burdens  of  them  on  their  backs.  Our 
hungry  dogs  made  a  fine  feast  on  them.  The  cold  frosty  night 
had  rendered  them  unable  to  take  wing  until  the  sun  should 
restore  their  powers.  As  it  was  difficult  to  obtain  sufficient 
food  for  my  dogs,  I  and  Isaac  took  a  large  blanket,  which  we 
spread  under  a  bush,  whose  branches  were  bent  to  the  ground 
with  the  mass  of  locusts  which  covered  it,  and  having  shaken 
the  branches,  in  an  instant  I  had  more  locusts  than  I  could 
carry  on  my  back ;  these  we  roasted  for  ourselves  and  our 
dogs." 

Our  common  grasshoppers  belong  to  this  order,  but  require 
no  description. 

The  Cockroach  (Blatta  orientalis),  erroneously  called  by 
housewives,  the  "  Black-beetle"  (it  not  being  a  beetle  at  all,  and 
its  colour  being  a  reddish  brown),  belongs  to  the  family  Blattidae. 
It  was  originally  brought  from  abroad,  and  has  completely 
domesticated  itself,  just  as  the  brown  rat  has  done,  so  that  few 
houses  are  free  from  it. 


THE    MOLE-CRICKET. 

The  curious  insect  called  the  MOLE-CRICKET  is  not  un- 
common in  England.  It  inhabits  sandy  banks,  digging  deep 
holes,  and  forming  chambers,  in  which  the  eggs  are  laid. 


494 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family,  Achetidse. — (Gr.  'A^eraf,  a  Chirper,  i.e.  the  Grasshopper.) 
GBYLLOTALPA. — (Lat.  Gryllus,  a  Cricket ;  talpa,  a  Mole.) 


Vxilgaris  (Lat.  common),  the  Mole-Cricket. 

The  fore  legs  closely  resemble  those  of  the  mole,  and  are  used 
for  the  same  purpose.  From  its  not  unmusical  cry  it  is  called 
in  some  parts  of  England  the  Churr-worm,  and  near  Oxford  the 
rustics  call  it  "  Croaker." 


PHYLLIA.*— (Gr.  QvUov.,  a  Leaf.) 


Foliata  (Lat.  like  a  leaf),  the  Leaf  Insect. 

The  LEAF  INSECT  is  an  inhabitant  of  South  America.     Not 
only  does  it  resemble  a  leaf  in  shape,  but  even  in  colour,  and 

*  I  have  preferred  to  place  these  two  insects  in  close  proximity,  as  they  both  af- 
ford a  curious  instance  of  resemblance  to  another  part  of  creation. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  495 

its  legs  may  be  easily  mistaken  for  dry  twigs.  Even  the  rami- 
fied veinings  of  the  leaf  are  preserved  on  its  wings.  It  is  singu- 
lar that  while  some  insects  closely  resemble  vegetables,  some 
vegetables,  as  the  Orchidaceae,  should  as  closely  resemble  insects. 
Nearly  connected  with  this  insect,  is  the  Praying  Mantis,  so 
called  from  the  curious  manner  in  which  it  holds  its  fore  legs. 
It  is  very  voracious  and  exceedingly  quarrelsome,  fighting  with 
the  fore  legs,  which  it  uses  like  a  sword.  In  China,  the  inhab- 
itants keep  them  in  cages,  and  set  them  to  fight  as  in  other 
countries  certain  barbarians  keep  cocks  for  the  same  purpose. 


Order  IV.  NEUROPTERA.-^Gr.  Nevpov,  a  nerve ;  nrtpov,  a  wing.) 
Family . . .  Libellulidae.— (Lat.  Libellulo,'  &  Dragon-fly.) 

LIBELLULA. 


Depressa  (Lat.  flattened),  the  Dragon-fly. 

Well  do  the  DRAGON-FLIES  deserve  their  name.  Fierce, 
voracious,  active,  and  powerful,  they  are  a  scourge  to  the  in- 
sects. Few  but  the  Coleoptera  can  escape  them.  They  are  on 
the  wing  nearly  the  whole  day,  seizing  and  devouring  flies,  spi- 
ders, and  various  insects ;  nor  can  even  the  broad-winged  but- 
terfly escape  them :  so  voracious  are  they,  that  when  held  in 


496 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


the  hand  they  will  devour  flies,  &c.,  if  held  within  their  reach, 
and  they  have  even  been  known,  when  their  bodies  have  been 
severed  in  two,  to  eat  flies,  although  they  had  no  stomach  to 
put  them  in.*  A  very  great  variety  of  these  beautiful  insects 
inhabit  England.  Some,  the  Agrionidae,  whose  head  resembles 
that  of  the  hammer-headed  shark,  are  of  every  vivid  colour  im- 
aginable, floating  in  the  air  like  beams  of  azure,  emerald,  and 
rosy  light,  while  others  have  their  wings  marked  with  large  in- 
digo-coloured spots.  The  larva  of  the  Dragon-fly  inhabits  the 
water,  and  is  quite  as  voracious  as  in  its  perfect  state.  Affixed 
to  its  head,  a  curious  set  of  organs,  called  the  mask,  which  it 
can  extend,  seize  its  prey,  and  hold  it  to  its  mouth. 


Family,  Myrmeleonidae. — (Gr.  Mvp/nn^,  an  Ant;  "kiuv,  a  Lion.) 

MYRMELEON.f 


Formicarum  (Lat  of  ants),  the  Ant-lion. 

This  insect  in  its  perfect  form,  although  very  elegant, 
exhibits  no  peculiarity,  but  in  its  larva  state  its  habits  are  so 
extraordinary  as  to  have  excited  general  attention  As  it  is 
slow  and  awkward  in  its  movements,  it  has  recourse  to 
stratagem  for  capturing  the  agile  insects  on  which  it  feeds. 
Choosing  a  light  sandy  soil,  it  digs  for  itself  a  conical  pit,  at 
the  bottom  of  which  it  conceals  itself,  leaving  only  its  jaws 

*  I  once  caught  a  dragon-fly  in  my  net,  and  while  holding  it  by  the  wings  I  pre- 
sented to  it  no  less  than  thirty-seven  large  flies  in  rapid  succession,  all  of  which  it- 
devoured,  together  with  four  long-legged  spiders.  It  would  probably  have  eaten  as 
many  more  had  1  not  been  tired  of  catching  flies  for  it. 

t  The  winged  Ant-Lion  is  reduced  one-half  in  size. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  497 

exposed.  When  an  unwary  insect  approaches  too  near  the 
edge  of  the  pit,  the  sand  gives  way,  and  down  rolls  the  insect 
into  the  very  teeth  of  the  concealed  ANT-LION,  who  instantly 
pierces  its  prey  with  its  calliper-shaped  fangs,  and  sucks  out 
its  juices  through  the  jaws,  which  are  hollow.  Should,  how- 
ever, the  Ant-lion  miss  its  prey,  and  the  insect  endeavour 
to  escape,  its  captor  instantly  makes  such  a  turmoil  by 
tossing  up  the  sand  with  its  closed  jaws,  and  covering  each 
side  of  the  pit  with  the  moving  grains,  that  the  insect  is 
tolerably  certain  to  be  brought  down  to  the  bottom,  and  is 
seized  by  the  Ant-lion,  who  immediately  drags  it  below  the 
sand.  When  the  insect  is  very  strong  and  struggles  hard  to 
escape,  the  Ant-lion  shakes  it  about  as  a  dog  does  a  rat,  and 
beats  it  against  the  ground  until  it  is  disabled. 

The  TERMITES,  or  WHITE  ANTS  as  they  are  very  erroneously 
called,  belong  to  this  order.  These  insects  live  in  large  soci- 
eties, and  build  edifices,  sometimes  of  enormous  size,  and  al- 
most as  hard  as  stone.  Twelve  feet  in  height  is  quite  common, 
so  that  were  we  to  compare  our  works  with  theirs,  St.  Peter's 
in  Rome,  and  St.  Paul's  in  London,  fall  infinitely  short  of  the 
edifices  constructed  by  these  little  creatures.  The  common 
Termes  bellicosus,  or  warlike  Termite,  inhabits  Africa.  Not 
only  does  it  build  these  houses,  but  runs  galleries  underground, 
as,  curiously  enough,  although  blind,  it  always  works  either  at 
night  or  in  darkness.  In  each  house  or  community,  there  are 
five  different  kinds  of  Termites  : — 1.  the  single  male,  or  king, 
whose  life  is  very  short ;  2.  the  single  female  or  queen :  these 
are  the  perfect  insects,  and  have  had  wings,  but  have  lost  them 
soon  after  their  admission  into  their  cell ;  they  also  have  eyes ; 
3.  the  soldiers  or  fighting  men  :  these  possess  large  jaws,  do  no 
work,  but  repel  adversaries  and  watch  as  sentinels ;  4.  the 
pupae,  who  resemble  the  workers,  except  that  they  possess  the 
rudiments  of  wings  ;  and  5.  the  larvae,  or  workers.  These  do 
all  the  work,  i.  e.  they  collect  food,  attend  to  the  queen,  and 
watch  over  the  eggs  and  young,  and  build  and  repair  their  cas- 
tle. These  are  more  numerous  than  all  the  other  kinds. 

On  the  approach  of  the  rainy  season,  the  pupae  obtain  wings 
and  issue  forth  in  swarms.  Few,  however,  survive.  Myriads 
are  devoured  by  birds,  reptiles,  and  even  by  man  ;  and  many 
are  carried  out  to  sea,  and  perish  there.  Those  that  do  escape 


498  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

are  speedily  found  by  the  labourers,  who  enclose  a  pair  in  a  clay 
cell  from  which  they  never  emerge.  The  male  soon  dies, 
but  the  female,  after  rapidly  increasing  to  nearly  three  inches 
in  length  and  one  in  breadth,  continues  to  lay  eggs  unceas- 
ingly for  a  very  long  time.  This  cell  becomes  the  nucleus 
of  the  hive,  and  round  it  all  the  other  cells  and  galleries  are 
built. 

These  insects  are  terribly  destructive,  as  they  eat  through 
wooden  beams,  furniture,  &c.,  leaving  only  a  thin  shell,  which 
is  broken  down  with  the  least  extra  weight,  and  many  are 
the  occasions  when  an  unsuspecting  individual,  on  seating 
himself  on  an  apparently  sound  sofa  or  chair,  finds  himself, 
like  Belzoni  in  the  Pyramid,  reposing  among  a  heap  of  dust 
and  splinters. 

Mr.  Gumming  describes  the  habitations  of  the  White  Ant  in 
these  terms : — 

"  Throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  plains  frequented  by 
blesboks,  numbers  of  the  sunbaked  hills  or  mounds  of  clay 
formed  by  the  white  ants  occur.  The  average  height  of  the 
ant-hills  in  these  districts  is  from  two  to  three  feet.  They 
are  generally  distant  from  another  from  one  to  three  hundred 
yards,  being  more  or  less  thickly  placed  in  different  parts. 
These  ant-hills  are  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  hunter,  en- 
abling him  with  facility  to  conceal  himself  on  the  otherwise 
open  plain." 


THE    CADDIS-FLY. 

This  fly  is  well  known  to  every  angler  both  in  its  larva 
and  in  its  perfect  state.  The  larva  is  a  soft  white  worm, 
of  which  fishes  are  exceedingly  fond,  and  it  therefore  requires 
some  means  of  defence.  It  accordingly  actually  makes  for 
itself  a  movable  house  of  sand,  small  stones,  straws,  bits  of 
shells,  or  even  small  living  shells,  in  which  it  lives  in  perfect 
security,  and  crawls  about  in  search  of  food,  dragging  its 
house  after  it.  "When  it  is  about  to  become  a  pupa,  it  spins 
a  strong  silk  grating  over  the  entrance  of  its  case,  so  that 
the  water  necessary  for  its  respiration  can  pass  through,  but 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Order  V.  TRICHOPTERA.—(G*.  e/wf,  hair ;  irrtpov,  a  wing.) 
Family.  .  Phrygamdae. — (Gr.  Qovyavov,  a  dry  stick :  alluding  to  their 
habitations.) 

PHRYGANEA. 


Grandis  (Lat.  large),  the  Caddis-fly.* 

at  the  same  time  all  enemies  are  kept  out.  When  the  time 
for  its  change  has  arrived,  the  pupa  bites  through  the  grating, 
rises  to  the  surface,  and  crawls  out  of  the  reach  of  the  water, 
which  would  soon  be  fatal  to  it.  The  skin  then  splits  down 
the  back,  and  the  perfect  insect  emerges. 

The  order  is  called  Trichoptera,  because  the  wings,  instead 
of  being  covered  with  scales  as  are  those  of  butterflies,  are 
clothed  with  hairs. — There  are  many  species  of  Caddis-flies. 


THE   ICHNEUMON    FLY. 

WE  have  now  reached  a  most  important  and  interesting 
order.  In  it  are  contained  the  bees,  wasps,  ants,  &c.  This 
is  the  only  order  where  the  insects  possess  stings.  The  wings 
are  four  in  number,  with  certain  veinings  upon  them,  the  shape 
and  number  of  which  in  many  cases  distinguishes  the  species. 

*  In  this  cut  the  cases  of  the  Caddis-worm  are  of  the  natural  size,  but  the  insect 
in  the  centre  is  reduced  one  half. 


500  NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Order  VI.   HYMENOPTERA.—(Gr.  T^w,  a  Membrane;  irrepov, 

wing.) 

Family .  .  .  Ichneumonidse. — (Gr.  'Ixvevfiuv,  a  Hunter.) 
PIMPLA. — (Gr.  IlipirlTini,  to  fill.) 


Manifestator  (Lat.  a  pointer  out,  the  Ichneumon-fly. 

The  ICHNEUMONS  form  a  very  large  section.  They  are 
most  useful  to  mankind,  as  one  ichneumon  will  destroy  more 
caterpillars  than 'a  man  could  kill  in  his  lifetime.  They  do 
not,  as  most  other  insects,  deposit  their  eggs  upon  vegetable 
or  dead  animal  substances,  but  they  actually  bore  holes  in 
other  insects  while  they  are  still  in  the  larva  state,  and 
leave  the  eggs  to  hatch  in  their  living  receptacle.  The  most 
common  ichneumon  is  a  very  small  insect,  not  so  large  as 
an  ordinary  gnat.  This  little  creature  may  be  seen  searching 
for  caterpillars.  It  generally  selects  the  common  cabbage 
caterpillar,  and  sitting  upon  it,  pierces  with  its  sting,  or 
ovipositor  as  it  is  called,  the  skin  of  the  caterpillar,  and 
deposits  an  egg.  After  repeating  this  operation  many  times 
it  flies  off,  and  the  caterpillar  proceeds  as  before  in  the  great 
business  of  its  life,  that  is,  eating,  and  continues  in  apparently 
perfect  health  until  the  time  for  its  change  into  the  chrysalis 
state  occurs.  The  good  condition  of  it,  however,  is  merely 
deception,  for  the  offspring  of  the  little  ichneumon  have  all 
this  while  been  silently  increasing  in  size,  and  feeding  on  the 
fat,  &c.  of  the  caterpillar,  but  cautiously  avoiding  any  vital 
part,  so  that  the  plump  appearance  of  the  caterpillar  is  merely 


NATURAL    HISTORY.  501 

produced  by  the  young  ichneumons  lying  snugly  under  the  skin. 
Just  as  the  caterpillar  commences  its  change  out  come  all  the 
ichneumons,  looking  like  little  white  maggots,  and  immediately 
each  spins  for  itself  a  yellow  oval  case,  frequently  enveloping 
the  form  of  the  now  emaciated  caterpillar.  In  a  few  days  a 
little  hd  on  the  top  of  each  case  is  pushed  open,  and  the  perfect 
flies  issue  forth,  and  immediately  commence  their  own  work  of 
destruction.* 


Family,  Formicidoe. — (Lat.  Formica,  an  Ant.) 
FORMICA. 


Rufa  (Lat.  red),  the  Wood  Ant. 

The  remaining  Hymenoptera  are  furnished  with  true  stings, 
that  is,  with  stings  to  which  is  attached  a  poison  apparatus, 
like  that  belonging  to  the  teeth  of  venomous  snakes. 

The  WOOD  ANT  is  the  largest  of  our  British  species.  It  is 
found  principally  in  woods,  and  builds  a  large  nest,  which  looks 
like  a  hillock  of  sand  and  earth,  intermixed  with  bits  of  stick, 
leaves,  &c.  The  interior  of  this  hill  is  chambered  out  into  a  va- 
riety of  apartments,  and  is  traversed  by  passages.  The  so-called 
ants'  eggs  are  not  eggs  at  all,  but  the  pupa  cases  of  the  insect, 
and  if  opened,  the  perfect  insect  is  seen  curled  up  inside.  In 
the  autumn,  the  ants  burst  forth  by  thousands,  and  may  be  seen 
hovering  in  clouds  above  the  nest.  Their  beautiful  wings  do 

*  I  examined  numbers  of  caterpillars  in  the  course  of  dissection,  and  seldom  found 
(hem  free  from  ichneumons  I  took  out  of  one  small  goat  caterpillar  137  of  these  in- 
sidious destroyers.  I  found  them  useful  auxiliaries  in  dissection,  as  they  had  usual- 
ly consumed  all  the  fat.  leaving  the  important  organs  ready  cleared. 


502  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

not  last  long,  for  when  a  female  ant  escapes,  and  founds  an  in- 
fant colony,  her  wings  are  soon  lost.  Few  do  escape,  as  the  birds 
find  these  living  clouds  a  most  agreeable  and  plentiful  repast. 

Ants  do  not,  as  has  been  so  frequently  said,  lay  up  stores  of 
corn  for  the  whiter,  for  they  are  in  a  state  of  torpidity,  during 
the  cold  months,  and  require  no  food.  Moreover,  an  ant  would 
find  as  much  difficulty  in  eating  or  digesting  a  grain  of  corn  as 
we  should  in  devouring  a  truss  of  straw. 

In  each  nest  are  three  kinds  of  ants, — males,  females,  and 
neuters,  or  workers. 


Family,  Vespidse. — (Lat.  Vespa,  a  "Wasp.) 
VESPA. 


Crabro  (Lat.  a  Hornet),  the  Hornet. 
Vulgaris  (Lat  common),  the  Wasp. 

Let  us  honour  the  Wasps  as  the  first  paper-makers,  for  of 
that  material  is  the  nest  composed.  The  paper  is  rough  and 
coarse,  certainly,  but  it  is  still  paper.  The  Wasp,  in  order  to 
make  this  paper,  rasps  off  fibres  of  decayed  wood,  which  it 
afterwards  mashes  with  its  teeth  into  a  pulp,  and  then  spreads 
the  pulp  in  layers,  when  it  hardens  and  forms  coarse  paper. 

The  dreaded  HORNET  is  usually  found  in  woods,  where  it 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  503 

builds  its  nest  in  the  hollows  of  trees.  A  deserted  hut  is  a 
favourite  spot,  and  when  occupied  by  a  full  nest  of  hornets,  is 
not  particularly  safe  to  enter,*  as  the  sting  of  this  insect  is 
peculiarly  severe.  It  feeds  upon  other  insects,  and  even  attacks 
and  devours  the  formidable  wasp. 

The  COMMON  WASP  builds  its  nest  in  the  ground,  usually 
in  banks.  The  comb  is  laid  horizontally,  and  not  vertically 
like  those  of  the  bee.  As  the  cells  are  made  of  paper,  they 
will  not  hold  honey,  nor  does  the  wasp  endeavour  to  collect 
honey,  although  it  is  very  fond  of  it,  and  never  loses  an  op- 
portunity of  robbing  a  bee-hive,  although  its  natural  food  is 
flies  or  other  animal  substances.  Nor  does  it  despise  sugar, 
as  every  grocer's  window  testifies.  Very  few  wasps  survive 
the  winter,  and  those  who  do,  immediately  set  about  forming 
a  new  nest.  Only  a  few  cells  are  made  at  first,  but  the  number 
rapidly  increases,  until  the  nest  is  furnished  with  about  sixteen 
thousand  cells. 

Some  wasps  build  nests  upon  the  branches  of  trees,  and  others 
suspend  them  from  the  branches. 


THE    BEE. 

This  useful  little  creature  is  so  well  known  that  a  lengthened 
description  of  it  would  be  useless.  A  merely  general  sketch 
will  be  quite  sufficient. 

The  cells  of  the  bee  are,  as  is  well  known,  made  of  wax. 
This  wax  is  secreted  in  the  form  of  scales  under  six  little  flaps 
situated  on  the  under  side  of  the  insect.  It  is  then  pulled  out 
by  the  bee,  and  moulded  with  other  scales  until  a  tenacious 
piece  of  wax  is  formed.  The  yellow  substance  on  the  legs  of 
the  bees  is  the  pollen  of  flowers.  This  is  kneaded  up  by  the 
bees,  and  is  called  bee-bread. 

The  cells  are  six-sided,  a  form  which  gives  the  greatest 
space  and  strength  with  the  least  amount  of  material,  but  the 

*  In  1847,  while  on  an  entomological  excursion  in  Bagley  Wood,  I  saw  five  hornets 
sitting  in  a  row,  gnawing  a  dead  branch.  I  was  rather  fearful  of  disturbing  them, 
but  at  the  same  time,  they  were  much  wanted  for  a  museum.  They  were  all  secured 
by  tapping  each  in  succession  with  a  twig,  and  receiving  it  in  my  net  as  it  flew  oft 
Each  bit  a  hole  in  the  net,  which  had  to  be  repaired  before  it  could  be  used  again 
with  safety. 


504  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

Family,  Apidae. — (Lat.  Apis,  a  Bee.) 


Mellif ica  (Lat.  Mel,  honey ;  facere,  to  make),  the  Honey  Bee* 

method  employed  by  the  bees  to  give  the  cells  that  shape  is 
not  known.  The  cells  in  which  the  drone  or  male  bees  are 
hatched,  are  much  larger  than  those  of  the  ordinary  or  worker 
bee.  The  edges  of  the  cells  are  strengthened  with  a  substance 
called  propolis,  which  is  a  gummy  material  procured  from 
the  buds  of  various  trees.  This  propolis  is  also  used  to  stop 
up  crevices  and  to  mix  with  wax  when  the  comb  has  to  be 
strengthened. 

The  royal  cells  are  much  larger  than  any  others,  and  are  of 
an  oval  shape.  When  a  worker  larva  is  placed  in  a  royal 
cell,  and  fed  in  a  royal  manner,  it  imbibes  the  principles  of 
royalty,  and  becomes  a  queen  accordingly.  This  practice  is 
adopted  if  the  queen  bee  should  die,  and  there  be  no  other 
queen  to  take  her  place. 

The  Q,ueen  Bee  is  lady  paramount  in  her  own  hive,  and  suf- 
fers no  other  queen  to  divide  rule  with  her.  Should  a  strange 
queen  gain  admittance,  there  is  a  battle  at  once,  which  ceases 
not  until  one  has  been  destroyed. 

*  In  the  cut,  the  upper  figure  is  the  Queen  Bee ;  that  on  the  left  the  Worker ;  and 
that  on  the  right  the  Drone. 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  505 

At  the  swarming  time,  the  old  queen  is  sadly  put  out  by 
the  encroachments  of  various  young  queens,  who  each  wish  ibr 
the  throne,  and  at  last  is  so  agitated  that  she  rushes  out  of 
the  hive,  attended  by  a  large  body  of  subjects,  and  thus  the 
first  swarm  is  formed.  In  seven  or  eight  days,  the  queen 
next  in  age  also  departs,  taking  with  her  another  supply  of 
subjects.  When  all  the  swarms  have  left  the  original  hive, 
the  remaining  queens  fight  until  one  gains  the  throne. 

The  old  method  of  destroying  bees  for  the  sake  of  the 
honey  was  not  only  cruel  but  wasteful,  as  by  burning  some 
dry  "  puff-ball "  the  bees  are  stupefied,  and  shortly  return  to 
consciousness.  The  employment  of  a  "  cap"  on  the  hive  is 
an  excellent  plan,  as  the  bees  deposit  honey  alone  in  these 
caps,  without  any  admixture  of  grubs  or  bee-bread.  Extra 
hives  at  the  side,  with  a  communication  from  the  original  hive, 
are  also  useful. 

The  queen  bee  lays  about  eighteen  thousand  eggs-.  Of 
these  about  eight  hundred  are  males  or  drones,  and  four  or  five 
queens,  the  remainder  being  workers. 


THE    SWALLOW-TAILED    BUTTERFLY. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Haustellate  Insects,  so  called,  because 
they  suck  liquid  food  through  an  apparatus  resembling  the 
proboscis  of  an  elephant.  The  first  order  of  haustellate  insects 
is  the  LEPIDOPTERA,  containing  the  butterflies  and  moths. 
The  butterflies  always  fly  by  day,  from  which  circumstance 
they  are  sometimes  called  Diurnal  Lepidoptera.  Most  of  the 
moths  fly  by  night,  and  are  called  Nocturnal  Lepidoptera. 
This  is  not  a  rule,  however,  as  many  moths  fly  by  day. 

Butterflies  are  usually  lighter  in  the  body  than  moths,  from 
which  insects  they  are  easily  distinguished  by  the  shape  of 
the  antennae,  which  in  the  butterflies  are  slender,  and  termi- 
nate in  a  small  knob,  but  in  the  moths  terminate  in  a  point, 
and  are  often  beautifully  fringed. 

The  name  Lepidoptera  is  given  to  these  insects  because 
their  wings  are  covered  with  myriads  of  minute  scales,  by 
which  the  beautiful  colouring  of  the  wings  is  produced. 
Y 


506  NATURAL   HISTORY. 

Sub-class  II.  INSECTA  HAUSTELLATA.— (Lat.  haurire,  to  suck  up.) 

Order  I LEPIDOPTERA.— (Gr.  AfTrtf ,  a  Scale ;  ffrtpov.a  wing.) 

Family ....  Papiliomdse.— (Lat.  Papilio,  a  Butterfly.) 

PAPILIO. 


Machaon  (Gr.  a  proper  name),  the  Swallow-tailed  Butterfly.* 

These  scales  vary  in  size  and  shape,  according  to  the  species, 
or  the  part  of  the  wing  from  which  they  are  taken.  Under 
the  microscope  they  are  most  exquisite  objects,  and  well  repay 
a  long  and  careful  examination. 

The  Lepidoptera  pass  through  three  distinct  changes  before 
assuming  their  perfect  form.  They  first  exist  in  the  larva 
state,  in  which  state  they  are  called  caterpillars.  They  then 
pass  to  the  pupa  state,  when  they  are  known  by  the  name  of 
"  aurelias"  t  or  "  chrysalides,"!  both  words  being  derived 
from  words  signifying  gold,  from  the  golden  lustre  of  the 
pupa  of  certain  butterflies.  When  they  have  remained  in 
the  pupa  state  during  a  time,  varying  from  a  few  days  to  two 
years,  they  burst  their  shells  and  issue  forth  in  their  full  and 
perfect  beauty.  This  transformation  has  for  many  ages  been 
used  as  an  illustration  of  the  resurrection  after  death. 

The  beautiful  insect   represented   above  is   not   very  un- 

*  This  figure  is  about  one-third  smaller  than  the  insect.         t  Lat.  Aurwn,  gold. 
J  X/)v<roj,  gold. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  50T 

common  in  some  parts  of  England,  especially  in  the  fenny 
parts  of  Cambridgeshire.* 

It  flies  with  exceeding  rapidity,  nearly  in  a  straight  line,  and 
is  very  difficult  to  capture. 

The  colour  of  the  wings  is  black,  variegated  most  beauti- 
fully with  yellow  markings,  and  near  the  extremity  of  each 
hinder  wing  is  a  circular  red  spot,  surmounted  by  a  crescent 
of  blue,  and  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  black  ring. 


VANESSA.— <Lat.  a  proper  iiamc.) 
I 


Adippe  (proper  name),  the  Silver-spotted  Fritillary. 
Atalanta  (proper  name],  the  Red  Admiral. 

The  FRITILLARIES  are  well  deserving  of  notice  for  the 
delicacy  of  their  colouring,  and  the  beauty  of  their  markings. 
The  Silver-spotted  Fritillary  is  remarkable  for  the  peculiar  ap- 
pearance presented  by  the  under  surface  of  the  wings,  which 
look  as  if  they  had  been  studded  with  pieces  of  burnished  silver 
leaf.  It  is  found  mostly  on  thistles  in  woods,  and  is  very  com- 

*  I  once  saw  it  in  the  water  meadows  near  Oxford. 


508  NATURAL    HISTORY. 

mon  in  Bagley  Wood  near  Oxford,  about  the  end  of  June,  or 
during  July. 

The  RED  ADMIRAL  is  one  of  the  most  gorgeous  of  our 
butterflies.  The  colour  of  the  wings  is  a  deep  black,  relieved 
by  a  broad  band  of  scarlet  across  each,  and  a  series  of  semicir- 
cular blue  marks  edge  each  wing.  It  is  usually  found  in  woods 
and  lanes,  were  there  are  nettles,  as  the  larva  feeds  upon  that 
plant.  It  appears  about  the  middle  of  August. 


Family,  Sphingida>. 
ACHERONTIA. — (Gr.  'A^povTiof,  belonging  to  Acheron.) 


Atropos  (Gr.  proper  name ;  one  of  the  Fates),  the  Death's-head  Moth. 

This  family  is  called  Sphingidse  on  account  of  the  sphynx- 
hke  attitude  that  the  caterpillars  of  some  species  assume. 
The  larva  of  the  Puss-moth  (Cerura  vinula),  is  particularly 
celebrated  for  this  position.  It  holds  the  plants  on  which 
it  feeds  with  its  hinder  feet,  and  raises  the  fore  part  of  its 
body,  just  as  the  sphynx  is  represented.  When  in  this 
position,  it  seems  so  remarkably  self-satisfied,  that  the  gar- 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  509 

dener  of  Rosel,  a  famous  naturalist,  was  quite  disconcerted,  af- 
firming that  he  never  saw  insects  hold  their  heads  so  high. 

The  DEATH'S-HEAD  MOTH  is  the  largest  of  the  British  Lepi- 
doptera,  as  it  not  unfrequently  measures  nearly  six  inches  across 
the  wings.  Its  rather  ominous  name  is  derived  from  the  singu- 
lar marking  in  the  thorax,  which  does  not  require  much  imga- 
ination  to  represent  a  skull  and  cross-bones. 

Some  naturalists  have  asserted  that  this  moth  makes  its  way 
into  bee-hives,  and  robs  the  inhabitants  of  their  honey,  disarm- 
ing their  resentment  by  a  curious  squeaking  noise  which  it  has 
the  power  of  producing. 

The  uneducated  rustics  have  a  great  horror  of  this  insect,  and 
consider  its  appearance  as  a  most  disastrous  omen.  In  a  small 
village  removed  from  the  influence  of  railways,  on  one  Sunday 
morning,  as  the  inhabitants  were  going  through  the  churchyard, 
a  Death's-head  Moth  appeared  on  the  path.  Every  one  recoil- 
ed in  dismay,  and  no  one  dared  approach  the  dreaded  object. 
Sundry  heads  were  shaken  at  the  evil  omen,  and  various  pro- 
phetic remarks  made.  At  last,  the  blacksmith  summoned  up 
courage,  and  with  a  great  jump,  came  down  on  the  unfortunate 
moth,  and  happily  destroyed  it.*  The  people  were  in  blissful 
ignorance  that  as  there  were  several  fields  near  planted  with 
potatoes,  on  which  vegetable  the  caterpillar  generally  feeds, 
there  were  probably  a  few  hundred  of  Death's-head  Moths  in 
the  vicinity. 

In  common  with  many  other  nocturnal  insects,  the  eyes  of 
the  Death's-head  Moth  shine  at  night  like  two  stars,  which  adds 
considerably  to  the  terror  inspired  by  its  appearance. 

*  I  have  this  specimen  now  in  my  possession  ;  it  is  of  course  mashed  quite  flat. 
It  is  a.  very  singular  fact,  that  those  who.  living  so  much  in  the  open  fields,  would 
be  supposed  to  have  a  correct  knowledge  ot'natural  phenomena,  are  really  profoundly 
ignorant  of  facts  that  pass  daily  before  their  eyes.  1  have  already  mentioned  the  pop- 
ular superstitions  regarding  elts. 


510  NATURAL   HISTORY. 


Family,  Arctiidse. — (Gr.  "A/wcrof,  a  Bear ;  iu  allusion  to  the  popular 
name  of  the  larva.) 


AlttTIA, 


Caja  (Lat.  proper  name),  the  Tiger-moth. 

This  common  but  beautiful  moth  is  found  in  the  beginning 
of  autumn.  It  runs  on  the  ground  with  such  swiftness  as  to  be 
often  mistaken  for  a  mouse.*  The  larva  is  popularly  called 
"  the  woolly  bear."  It  is  rather  large,  and  is  surrounded  with 
tufts  of  long  elastic  hairs  of  a  reddish  brown  colour,  which  serve 
as  a  defence  against  many  enemies.  When  disturbed,  it  rolls 
itself  round,  just  as  a  hedgehog  does,  and  if  on  a  branch,  suffers 
itself  to  fall  to  the  ground,  when  the  long  hairy  covering  de- 
fends it  from  being  injured  by  the  fall.  When  the  caterpillar  is 
about  to  change  into  a  pupa,  it  spins  a  kind  of  hammock,  and 
lies  there  until  it  comes  forth  as  a  moth. 

*  I  have  more  than  once  seen  a  fcitten  chasing  a  tiger-moth  among  the  flowers  in 
a  garden,  evidently  deceived  by  its  resemblance  to  a  mouse. 


NATURAL   HISTORY. 


The  colour  and  markings  "of  this  moth  vary  considerably. 
The  usual  tints  are,  the  thorax  brown,  the  body  red  striped 
with  black.  The  two  anterior  wings  are  cream  colour,  mark- 
ed with  bold  patches  of  a  deep  brown  :  the  posterior  wings  are 
bright  red,  spotted  with  bluish  black. 


Family,  Geometridse. — (Gr.  Feo^crpT/f,  a  Land-measurer.) 

OURAPTERYX. — (Gr.  Oipd,  a  Tail ;  irrepov,  a  wing.) 

Family,  Alucitidse. 

ALUCITA 


Sambucaria  (Lat.  Sambucus,  the  Elder-tree),  the  Swallow-tailed  Moth. 
Hexadactyla  (Gr.  "E£  six;  do/crvAof,  a  finger),  the  Many-plumed  Moth. 

The  larvae  of  the  Geometridse  move  in  a  very  singular 
manner.  When  preparing  to  make  a  step,  they  hold  firmly 
by  their  hinder  legs  to  the  substance  on  which  they  are 
moving,  and  then  stretch  out  their  body  to  the  fullest  extent, 
as  if  measuring  their  distance.  After  these  preliminaries, 
they  take  a  firm  hold  with  the  fore  feet,  and  draw  the  hinder 


512  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

feet  up  to  them,  forming  their  body  into  an  arch  or  loop. 
When  at  rest,  the  caterpillars  often  deceive  an  observer  by 
their  close  resemblance  to  twigs,  as  they  stretch  themselves  out 
motionless  from  the  branch. 

The  family  is  very  large,  and  contains  many  interesting 
species,  but  want  of  space  compels  me  to  omit  all  but  the 
insect  represented  above,  the  SWALLOW-TAILED  MOTH.  The 
caterpillar  ot  this  moth  feeds  principally  on  the  elder,  willow, 
and  lime,  and  the  moth  appears  in  June  and  July.  It  is  one 
of  the  largest  of  the  British  Geometridse,  as  the  spread  of  the 
wing  considerably  exceeds  two  inches.  Its  colour  is  a  pale 
yellow,  and  the  lines  across  the  wings  are  deep  yellow.  It 
derives  its  name  from  the  shape  of  the  hinder  wings. 

The  MANY-PLUMED  MOTH  is  found  towards  the  close  of 
autumn,  usually  running  about  windows.  It  is  very  small, 
measuring  barely  half  an  inch  across  the  wings.  The  structure 
of  the  wings  is  very  curious,  each  of  the  two  anterior  wings 
being  divided  into  eight  beautiful  feather-like  rays,  and  each 
of  the  posterior  into  four  rays.  Nearly  allied  to  this  are  the 
common  Feather  Moths,  the  most  common  of  which  is  the 
White-plumed  Moth,  whose  wings  measure  nearly  an  inch 
across,  and  are  divided  into  five  feathered  rays. 


NATURAL   HISTORY.  513 

Order  II.  DIPTERA.—(GTc.  A/f,  twice;  irrtpov,  a  wing.) 
Family,  Culicldse.— (Lat.  Culex,  a  Gnat.) 

CULEX. 

Family,  CEstrfda;.— (Gr.  Olarpos,  the  Gad-fly.) 

CESTRUS. 


Pipiens  (Lat  humming),  the  Gnat. 

Bovis  (Lat.  of  the  Ox),  the  Gad-fy. 

The  insects  of  this  order  possess  but  two  wings,  the  place 
of  the  others  being  supplied  by  two  little  organs  something 
like  drum-sticks,  called  "balancers."  Without  these  the  in- 
sect seems  to  be  unable  to  direct  its  flight. 

All  are  familiar  with  the  COMMON  GNAT.  This  pretty  tor- 
mentor passes  its  larval  existence  in  the  water,  in  which  state 
thousands  may  be  seen  in  any  uncovered  water-butt,  wriggling 
about  with  the  most  untiring  energy,  or  reposing  head  down- 
wards, only  leaving  the  end  of  the  tail  at  the  surface.  The 
reason  for  this  is  very  curious.  This  larva  breathes  through 
its  tail,  and  is  moreover  enabled  by  means  of  a  fringe  of  hairs 
to  carry  air  down  with  it. 

It  is  a  singular  circumstance,  that  although  the  larva  lives 
in  the  water,  yet  were  either  the  eggs  or  the  perfect  insect  to 
be  submerged,  they  would  be  destroyed.  The  instinct  of  the 
Gnat  in  order  to  fulfil  all  three  conditions  is  very  beautiful. 
When  the  Gnat  wishes  to  deposit  its  eggs,  it  rests  on  a  leaf 
or  twig  on  the  surface  of  the  water ;  it  then  takes  each  egg 
separately,  and  fastens  them  side  by  side  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  actually  form  a  little  boat,  which  will  neither  fill 


514  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

with  water  nor  upset,  however  the  water  may  be  agitated.  In 
a  few  days  the  eggs  are  hatched,  when  a  little  lid  opens  in 
the  under  end  of  each  egg,  and  down  tumbles  the  larva  into 
the  water. 

After  remaining  in  the  water  for  some  days  it  assumes  the 
pupa  form.  In  this  state  it  floats  at  the  surface  with  the 
back  of  the  thorax  uppermost.  Soon  this  splits,  and  the  in- 
sect emerges,  standing  on  its  own  cast  skin,  which  forms  a 
raft  for  it  until  its  wings  are  fully  dry,  when  it  takes  to  flight, 
leaving  behind  it  the  empty  shell  floating  on  the  water.  This 
change  may  be  witnessed  any  warm  day  in  summer. 

The  GADFLY  has  from  the  most  ancient  times  been  known 
as  the  terror  of  the  herd.  At  the  sound  of  its  approach  the 
cattle  are  driven  almost  mad  with  terror.  The  young  gad- 
flies are  nourished  under  the  skin,  where  they  remain  until 
they  are  fit  to  pass  into  the  pupa  state,  when  they  bury 
themselves  in  the  ground,  and  after  a  few  days  spent  under 
the  earth,  issue  forth  in  their  perfect  state. 


Order  IV.  APHANIPT&RA.—(Gr.'A<f>avfc, invisible;  trrepov,  a  wing.) 
Family  .  .  Pulicidse.— (Lat.  Pulcx,  a  Flea.) 
PULEX. 


Imtans  (Lat.  irritating),  the  Flea. 

The  strength  and  agility  of  this  curious  but  annoying  little 
insect  is  perfectly  wonderful.  Many  of  my  readers  have  doubt- 
less seen  the  exhibition  of  the  Industrious  Fleas,  who  drew 
little  carriages,  and  carried  comparatively  heavy  weights  with 


NATURAL  HISTORY.  5J5 

the  greatest  ease.  The  apparatus  with  which  it  extracts  the 
blood  of  its  victims  is  very  curious,  and  forms  a  beautiful  object 
under  a  microscope  of  low  power.  Its  leap  is  tremendous  in 
proportion  to  its  size.  This  property  it  enjoys  in  common  with 
many  other  insects,  among  which  the  Common  Grasshopper, 
the  Frog-hopper,  and  the  Halticas,  or  Turnip-flies  are  conspicu- 
ous. In  all  these  insects  the  hinder  pair  of  legs  are  very  long 
and  powerful. 


I  am  here  most  reluctantly  compelled  to  close  this  little  work. 
Most  willingly  would  I  have  entered  into  a  sketch  of  the  re- 
maining classes.  These,  however,  are  so  numerous,  and  their 
habits  are  so  difFereiit  from  those  of  the  creatures  whom  we 
have  already  examined,  that  even  a  very  slight  description 
would  consume  too  much  space  and  time. 

Here,  then,  I  take  my  leave  of  the  reader,  with  a  sincere 
hope  that  the  perusal  of  this  little  work  will  not  only  have 
proved  interesting,  but  will  also  have  given  him  some  insight 
into  the  beautiful  order  of  the  animated  world. 


INDEX. 


ABDOMINALIA,  423. 

Americanus,  129. 

Argus,  315. 

Abietum,  64. 

Ampehdss,  265. 

Argus  Pheasant,  315. 

Abramis,  426. 

Ampelina;,  265. 

Argynnis,  507. 

Acanthopterygii,  412. 
AcaridiB,  482. 

Ampelis,  265. 
Amphibius,  108. 

Aricia,  465. 
Ariel,  140. 

Acarus,  482. 

Anas,  362. 

Aries,  144. 

Accentor,  249. 
Hcd**e   °19 

Anatidaj,  362. 
Anatifera  471. 

Arietans,  392. 
Armadillo  186. 

Accentorinae,  2iJ. 

Anatinae,  362. 

Arquatus/348. 

Accipiter,  213. 

Anchovy,  439. 

Arvensis,  291. 

Accipitres,  190. 

Angler,  422. 

Arvicola,  108. 

Accipitres  Diurni,  190. 
Accipitres  Noeturni,  216. 
Accipitrinae,  212. 

Anguilla,  443. 
Anguinus,  410. 
Anguis,  385. 

Arvicolina,  107. 
Asinus,  164. 
Aspersa,  463. 

Acherontia,  508. 

Anobium,  489. 

Ass,  164. 

Achetidse,  494. 

Anseres,  357. 

Astacidae,  476. 

Acipenser,  448. 

Anserinse,  358. 

Astacus,  476,  477. 

Acipenseridae,  448. 

Ant,  Wood,  501. 

Astur,  212. 

Acutirostris,  443. 

Ant-Eater,  187. 

Atalanta,  507. 

Adder,  Puff,  392. 
Adippe,  507. 

Ant-Lion,  496. 
Anthus,  255. 

Ateles,  20. 
Athene,  218. 

Admiral,  Red,  507. 

Antiquorum,  452. 

Atra,  356. 

^Egyptius,  117. 

Ape,  12. 

Atrata,  361. 

^Esalon,  210. 
^Ethereus,  378. 

Aphaniptera,  514. 
Apiaster,  231. 

Atricapilla,  245. 
Atropos,  508. 

Africanus,  171. 

Apidae,  504. 

Auk,  Great,  369. 

Agamida:,  388. 

Apis,  504. 

Auratus,  424. 

Agile  Gibbon,  16. 

Apivorus,  204. 

Aureus,  62. 

Agilis,  16. 

Apoda,  280. 

Auritus,  28. 

Agouti,  112. 

Apteryginae,  336. 

Australis,  336. 

Aguti,  112. 

Apteryx,  336. 

Avellanarius,  119. 

Alauda,  291. 

Apus,  224. 

Avicularia,  479. 

Alaudarius,  211. 

Aquila,  198.  383. 

Avis,  190. 

Alaudinse,  291. 

Arabicus,  149. 

Avocet,  349. 

Alba,  346. 

Arachnids,  479. 

Avocetta,  349. 

Albatros,  Wandering,  374. 

Araneidae,  479. 

Axis,  158. 

Albus,  326. 

Araneus,  81. 

Alca,  369. 

Ararauna,  298. 

Babyroussa,  176. 

Alcedinids,  230. 

Arctia,  510. 

Bactrian  Camel,  152. 

Alcedininae,  230. 

Arctica,  368. 

Bactrianus,  152. 

Alcedo,  230. 

Arctiidae,  510. 

Badger,  69. 

Alces,  161. 

Arctomys,  121. 

Batena,  92. 

Alcidas,  368. 

Arctos,  72. 

Balaenida;,  91. 

Alcina,  368. 

Ardea,  342. 

Baltimore  Oriole,  283. 

Alligator,  404. 

Ardeidae,  341. 

Baltimorus,  283. 

Alligatoridae,  404. 

Ardeinss,  342. 

Barbaras,  30. 

Alpinus,  121. 

Argo,  460. 

Barbatus,  190. 

Alucita,  511. 

Argonaut,  460. 

Barbel,  424. 

Alucitidae,  511. 

Argonauta,  460. 

Barbus,  424. 

INDEX. 


517 


Barn-owl,  220. 
Bar-tailed  Humming-bird, 

Bucerotidae,  295. 
Bufo,  408. 

Cat,  40. 
Civet,  46. 

234. 

Buffalo,  126. 

Caudata,  271. 

Bat,  Long-eared,  28. 

Cape,  128. 

Caudatus,  252. 

Vampire,  25. 

Buffelus,  126. 

Caudivolvulus,  78. 

Batrachia,  406. 

Bulldog,  56. 

Cavy,  113. 

Beagle,  53. 

Bullfinch,  292. 

Cebidse,  20. 

Bear,  72. 
Grizzly,  73. 

Bull-frog,  407. 
Burrowing-owl,  218. 

Cephalopoda,  458. 
Cephalus,  429. 

Polar,  75. 
Bearded  Vulture,  190. 

Burying-beetle,  485. 
Bustard,  Great,  339. 

Cerambycidae,  489. 
Cerambyx,  489. 

Beaver,  109. 

Buteo,  203. 

Cerastes,  393. 

Bee-eater,  231. 

Buteoninae,  203. 

Certhidae,  237. 

Beetle,  Burying,  485. 

Butterfly,  Atalanta,  507. 

Certhina:,  237. 

Cockchaffer,  486. 

Fritillary,  507. 

Cercoleptes,  78. 

Dor,  486. 

Swallow-tailed,  506. 

Cervina,  155. 

Ground,  485. 

Buzzard,  203. 

Cervus,  155,  486. 

Stag,  486. 

Cete,  91. 

Caballus,  162. 

Chaffinch,  285. 

Bernhardus,  475.  ' 

Cacatua,  301. 

Chameleon,  369. 

Bernicla,  358. 

Cachalot,  98. 

Chameleonidae,  389. 

Bernicle,  471. 

Caddis-fly,  499. 

Chamois,  141. 

Bernicle  Goose,  358. 

Caffer,  128. 

Charadridae,  340. 

Berus,  394. 

Caja,  510. 

Charadrinae,  340. 

Bicornis,  178. 

Calamodyta,  241. 

Chelidon,  227. 

Bird  Spider,  479. 

Callarias,  440. 

Chelonia,  399,  401. 

Bison,  129. 

CaUithrix,  22. 

Cheloniadae,  401. 

Bittern,  344. 

Camel,  149. 

Chenopis,  361. 

Blackbird,  260. 

Camelina,  149. 

Chetah,  44. 

Black  Grouse,  324. 
Black  Swan,  361. 

Camelopardalis,  146. 
Camelopardina,  146. 

Chicken,  Mother  Gary's,  372. 
Chiff-chaff;  245. 

Black-cap  Warbler,  245. 

Camelus,  149,  330. 

Chimney  Martin,  225. 

Black-backed  Gull,  376. 
Blatta,  493. 

Campestris,  483. 
Canada  Lynx,  43. 

Chimpansee,  12. 
Chinchilla,  116. 

Blattidae,  493. 

Canadensis,  43. 

Chinchillina,  116. 

Blindworm,  385. 

Cancellatus,  485. 

Chloris,  J88. 

Bloodhound,  51. 

Cancer,  473. 

Chloropus,  355. 

Blue  and  Yellow  Macaw, 

Cancerida,  473. 

Chough,  278. 

298. 

Canicula,  449. 

Chrysaetos,  198. 

Blue  Titmouse,  251. 

Canis,  48. 

Chrysolopha,  234. 

Boa,  395. 

Canina,  49. 

Chub,  429. 

Boar,  175. 

Cannabina,  287. 

Cicindela,  483. 

Bohemian  Waxwing,  265. 
Boidae,  395. 
Booby,  379. 
Bos,  123. 

Canorus,  306. 
Cape  Buffalo,  128. 
Cape  Penguin,  370. 
Capercaillie,  323. 

Cicindelidas,  483. 
Ciconia,  346. 
Ciconinae,  346. 
Cinclus,  256. 

Boschas,  362. 

Capybara,  113. 

Circus,  215. 

Boselaphus,  136. 
Botaurus,  344. 

Capra,  142. 
Capreolis,  155. 

Citrinella,  290. 
Civet  Cat,  46. 

Bovida;,  123. 
Bovina,  123. 

Caprimulgidse,  222. 
Caprimulginae,  222. 

Civetta,  46. 
Clavata,  453. 

Bovis,  513. 
Bower-bird,  Satin,  282. 
Bradypidae,  183. 
Bradypus,  183. 
Brama,  426. 

Caprimulgus,  222. 
Carabidae,  485. 
Carabus,  485. 
Caracal,  42. 
Carbo,  380. 

Clotho,  392. 
Clupea,  434,  436,  437. 
Clupeidfe,  434,  436. 
Coaita,  Spider  Monkey,  20. 
Coati  Mondi,  77. 

Bream,  426. 
Brevirostris,  419. 

Carcharias,  450. 
Carduelis,  286. 

Cobra  de  Capello,  397. 
Cockatoo,    Great    Sulphur, 

Brush  Turkey,  327. 
Bubalus,  176. 

Carp,  423. 
Carpio,  423. 

301. 
Cockchaffer,  486. 

Bubo,  220. 
Bubonia,  219. 
Buccinidae,  465. 

Carrier  Pigeon,  313. 
Caryocatactes,  270. 
Casoar,  333. 

Cockroach,  493. 
Cod,  440. 
Coelebs,  285. 

Buccinum,  465. 

Cassowary,  333. 

Cceruleus,  251. 

Buceros,  295. 

Casuarius,  333. 

Coleoptera,  483 

INDEX. 


Collared  Tee  Tee,  22. 
Collurio,  268. 
Colubridse,  397. 

Cyclostomi,  455. 
Cygninae,  360. 
Cygnus,  360. 

Draco,  388. 
Dragon,  Flying,  388. 
Dragon-fiy,  495. 

Colubrina,  395. 

Cynocephalus,  19. 

Dromaius,  334. 

Colubris,  233. 

Cyprscidae,  465. 

Duck,  Wild,  362. 

Colymbidas,  366. 

Cyprinidae,  423. 

Duck-billed,  Platypus,  189. 

Concolor,  38. 

Cyprinus,  423,  424. 

Durissus,  390. 

Condor,  194. 

Cypselinae,  224. 

Dzigguetai,  164. 

Cone,  464. 

Cypselus,  224. 

Conger,  444. 

Eagle,  Golden,  198. 

Coniidffi,  464. 

Dabchick,  367. 

Whiteheaded,  £6-.'. 

Conirostres,  469. 

Dace,  428. 

Eared-owl,  Great,  220. 

Constrictor,  395. 

Dactylophori,  412. 

Earwig,  491. 

Conus,  464. 

Dama,  159. 

Echeneide,  420. 

Coot,  356. 

Dartford  Warbler,  243. 

Echeneis,  420. 

Cora  Humming  Bird,  234. 
Coracia,  279. 

Daspidae,  184. 
Dasypina,  186. 

Ectopistes,  310. 
Edible  Mussel,  471. 

Coracias,  228. 

Dasyprocta,  112. 

Edulis,  471,  468. 

Coraciida;,  228. 

Dasyproctina,  112. 

Eel,  Sharp-nosed,  443. 

Coraciinse,  228. 

Dasypus,  186. 

Electric,  445. 

Corax,  273. 

Death's-head  Moth,  508. 

Eider  Duck,  365. 

Cormorant,  380. 

Death-  Watch,  489. 

Eland,  136. 

Corncrake,  354. 

Decapoda,  473. 

Elanoides,  206. 

Corvids,  269. 

Anon  *u^a>  jjijj' 

Electricus  445 

Corvinae'  270 

Macrourn   176 

Elephant   167 

Corvus,  273.  ' 

Decumanus,  103. 

Seal,  69. 

Cotile,  226. 

Deer,  Fallow,  159. 

Elephantidae,  167. 

Coturnix,  322. 

Musk,  154, 

Elephantinae,  167. 

Cowry,  465. 

Rein,  160. 

Elephas,  167. 

Crab,  473. 

Delphinidse,  99. 

Elk,  161. 

Hermit,  475. 

Delphinus,  99. 

Emberiza,  290. 

Crabro,  502. 

Demersus,  370. 

Emberizinse,  290. 

Cracticornis,  348. 

Dendrosaura,  389. 

Emerald  Bird  of  Paradise, 

Crane,  541. 

Dentirostres,241. 

280. 

Crangon,  478. 

Depressa,  495. 

Emu,  334. 

Crangonidae,  478. 

Dermaptera,  491. 

Emydosauri,  402. 

Cray-fish,  476. 

Didactyla,  188. 

Encrasicholus,  439. 

Crecca,  364. 

Didelphina,  86. 

Engraulis,  439. 

Creeper,  237. 

Didelphys,  66. 

Entellus,  18. 

Creophilus,  491. 

Didinee,  337. 

Ephialtes,  219. 

Crex,  354. 

Didus,  337. 

Epops,  232. 

Cricket-Mole,  494. 

Diodontidse,  447. 

Equida;,  162. 

Cricetus,  107. 
Cristata,  110. 

Diomedea,  374. 
Dipina,  117. 

Equus,  162. 
Erinaceus,  82. 

Cristatus,246,  340,366,409. 

Dipper,  256. 

Erinacina,  81. 

Crocodile,  402. 

Diptera,  513. 

Erithacus,  248. 

Crocodilidae,  402. 

Dipus,  117. 

Erminea,  66. 

Crocodilus,  402. 

Dodo,  337. 

Erythacinte,  247. 

Cross-bill,  293. 

Dog,  Bull,  56. 

Esculent  Swallow,  227. 

Crotalidae,  390. 

Newfoundland,  49. 

Esocidse,  430. 

Crow,  278. 

King  Charles's,  50. 

Esox,  430. 

Nutcracker,  270. 
Crustacea,  473. 
Cuckoo,  306. 

Shepherd's,  59. 
Dog-fish.  Spotted,  449. 
Dolphin,  99. 

Euchore,  139. 
Europea,  79. 
Europseus,  82. 

Cuculidse,  306. 

Domestic  Fowl,  317. 

Excubitor,  266. 

Cuculinae,  306 

Domestica,  40. 

Exoco3tus,  432. 

Cuculus,  306,  412. 

Domesticus,  289. 

Exulans,  374. 

Culex,  513. 

Dor  Beetle,  486. 

CulicidfB,  513. 

Dormouse,  119. 

Faber,  417. 

Cunicularia,  218. 

Dory,  John,  419. 

Falco,  207. 

Cunlculus,  115. 

Double-crested  Humming- 

Falcon,  Peregrine,  208. 

Curlew,  348. 

Bird,  234. 

Swallow-tailed,  200. 

CurTirostra,  293. 

Dove,  Ring,  307. 

Falconidaj,  198. 

Cyaneus,  215. 

Turtle.  309. 

Falconinae,  207. 

INDEX. 


Fallow-deer,  159. 
Familiaris,  49. 

Gazelle,  140. 
Gecko,  386. 

Gudgeon,  426. 
Guillemot,  371. 

Fario,  434. 

Geckotidse,  386. 

Guinea  Pig,  113. 

Felidse,  28. 

Geissosaura,  385. 

Gull,  Black-backed,  376. 

Felina,  28. 

Generalis,  464. 

Gulo,  68. 

Felis,  40. 

Genet,  47. 

Gurnard,  412. 

Ferae,  28. 

Genetta,  47. 

Gymnotidae,  445. 

Fiber,  109. 
Fieldfare,  258. 

Geometridee,  511. 
Geotrupes,  486. 

Gymnotus,  445. 
Gypaetidae,  190. 

Fishing-frog,  422. 
Fissirostres,  222. 

Geotrupidae,  486. 
Gibbon,  Agile,  16. 

Gypaetus,  190. 
Gyrfalco,  207. 

Fissirostres  Diurnas,  224. 

Giganteus,  315. 

Gyrfalcon,  207. 

Nocturnse,  222. 

Giraffa,  146. 

Flamingo,  356. 
Flaminea,  221. 

Giraffe,  146. 
Glacialis,  372. 

Hag-fish,  Glutinous,  457. 
Haliaetus,  200. 

Flava,  254. 
Flea,  514. 

Gladius,  417. 
Glandarius,  269. 

Hammer-headed      Shark, 
451. 

Fly-catcher,  Spotted,  264. 

Glires,  103. 

Hamster,  107. 

Flying  Squirrel,  121. 

Glow-worm,  488. 

Hare,  114. 

Flying  Dragon,  388. 
Flying-fish,  432. 

Glutinosa,  457. 
Gnat,  513. 

Harengus,  437. 
Harrier,  Hen,  215. 

Foliata,  494. 

Gnoo,  133. 

Hasselquistii,  393. 

Formica,  501. 

Gnu,  133. 

Hawk-owl,  216. 

Formicarum,  496. 

Goat,  143. 

Sparrow,  213. 

Formicarinae,  256. 

Goat-sucker,  222. 

Hedge  Accentor.  249. 

Formicidss,  501. 

Gobio,  426. 

Hedgehog,  82. 

Fowl,  domestic,  317. 

Goldfinch,  286. 

Helicidae,  463. 

Fox,  63. 
Foxhound,  52. 

Gold-fish,  424. 
Golden-crested  Wren,  246. 

Helix,  463. 
Hen  Harrier,  215. 

Fragilis,  385. 
Fratercula,  368. 

Golden  Eagle,  199. 
Golden  Oriole,  263. 

Hermit  Crab,  475. 
Heron,  342. 

Fregata,  383. 

Goose,  Bernicle,  358. 

Herpestes,  47. 

Frigate  Pelican,  383. 
Fringilla,  285. 

Solan,  379. 
Goshawk,  212. 

Herring,  436. 
Hexadactylae,  511. 

Fringillidae,  285. 
Fritillary,    Silver-spotted, 

Gouldii,  234.                           Hippocampus,  419. 
Gould's  Humming-bird,  234.  Hippopotamina,  181. 

507. 

Gracilis,  24. 

Hippopotamus,  181. 

Frog,  406. 

Gracula,  279. 

Hircus,  143. 

Bull,  407. 
Fishing,  422. 

Gradientia,  409. 
Graeca,  399. 

Hirundinidas,  224. 
Hirundo,  225.  377. 

Tree,  407. 

Grallas,  340. 

Hispida,  230. 

Frugilegus,  275. 

Grandis,  499. 

Hobby,  2091 

Frumentarius,  107. 

Grasshopper  Warbler,  24  1  . 

Holodactyli,  414. 

Fulica,  356. 

Great  Auk,  369. 

Hominidse,  1. 

Fuligulinse,  365. 

Great  Bustard,  339. 

Homo,  1. 

Fulmar  Petrel,  372. 

Great-eared  Owl,  220. 

Honey  Bee,  504. 

Fulvus,  196. 

Great  Grey  Shrike,  266. 

Hoopoe,  232. 

Furcatus,  206. 

Great  Titmouse,  250. 

Hornet,  502. 

Fusca,  77. 

Great  Spotted  Woodpeck- 

Horribilis, 74. 

er,  302. 

Horse,  162. 

Gadfly,  513. 

Grebe,  Crested,  366. 

Sea,  419. 

Gadidae,  440. 

Little,  367. 

House  Sparrow,  289. 

Galbula,  263. 

Greenfinch,  288. 

Howler,  Ursine,  21. 

Gallina?,  314. 

Green  Woodpecker,  304. 

Humming-bird,  Bar-tailed, 

Gallinula,  355. 

Greyhound,  60. 

234. 

Gallinulinse,  355. 

Griffon  Vulture,  196. 

Cora,  234. 

Gallopavo,  319. 

Grisola,  264. 

Double-crested,  234. 

Gallus,  317. 

Ground  Beetle,  485. 

Gould's  234. 

Gammarus,  477. 

Grouse,  Red,  325. 

Ruby-throated,  233. 

Gannet,  379. 

Black,  324. 

Hunting  Leopard,  44. 

Garrula,  228. 

Gruinae,  341. 

Hydrobata,  256. 

Garrulins,  269. 

Grunniens,  131. 

Hydrochasrina,  113. 

Garrulus,  265. 

Grus,  341. 

Hydrochasrus,  113. 

Gasteropoda,  461. 
Oazella,  139. 

GryHotalpa,  49J. 
Gryphon,  196. 

Hyasna,  45. 
Hyenina,  45. 

520 


INDEX. 


Hylobates,  16. 

Lathami,  327. 

Malacostraca,  473. 

Hymenoptera,  500. 

Leaf  Insect,  494. 

Mallard,  362. 

Hypotriorchis,  209. 

Lemur,  24. 

Mammalia,  1. 

Hystricidaj,  111. 

Lemuridas,  24. 

Man,  1. 

Hystricina,  111. 

Leo,  30. 

Mandril,  19. 

Hystrix,  111. 

Leopard,  35. 

Manifestata,  500. 

Ibex,  142. 
Ibis,  Sacred,  347. 
Ichneumon,  47. 
Ichneumon-fly,  500. 

Leopardus,  35. 
Lepidop'tera,  500. 
Leporidae,  114. 
Leptoglossae,  384. 

Manis,  184. 
Many-plumed  Moth,  511. 
Margaritifera,  470. 
Marinus,  376. 

Ichneumonidas,  500. 

Lepus,  114. 

Maritimus,  73. 

Icterinse,  283. 

Leuciscus,  428. 

Martin,  227. 

Icterus,  283. 

Leucocephalus,  202. 

Chimney,  225. 

Iguana,  387 

Leucopsis,  358. 

Sand,  2S;0. 

Iguanidae,  387. 

Leucorodia,  345. 

Marmoset,  23. 

Impennis,  369. 
Indicus,  167. 

Leucoryx,  137. 
Libellula,  495. 

Marmot,  121. 
Marmotta,  121. 

Ineptus,  337. 

Libellulidae,  495. 

Marten,  Pme,  64. 

Insecta,  483. 

Limacidae,  461. 

Martes,  64. 

Insecta  Haustellata,  506. 

Limax,  461. 

Mastiff,  65. 

Insecta  Mandibulata,  483. 

Limosina:,  343. 

Maxillosus,  491. 

Irritans,  514. 

Limpet,  466. 

Maxima,  411. 

Linnet,  287. 

Maximus,  220. 

Jacana,  353. 

Lion,  30. 

Meadow  Pipit,  255. 

Jacchus,  23. 

Lizard,  384. 

Meantia,  410. 

Jackal,  62. 

Llama,  153. 

Megapode,  Mound-making, 

Jackdaw,  277. 

Lobster,  477. 

328 

Jacobaeus,  467. 

Locust,  492. 

Megapodidae,  327. 

Jaguar,  37. 

Locusta,  492. 

Megapodius,  328. 

Jay,  216. 

Locustella,  241. 

Melanotis,  42. 

Jerboa,  117. 

Locustidae,  492. 

Meleagrina,  470. 

Jerboidae,  116. 

Long-eared  Bat,  28. 

Meleagrinas,  319. 

John  Dory,  419. 
Jubata,  44. 

Long-tailed  Titmouse,  252. 
Lophiida:,  422. 

Meleagrinidae,  319. 
Meleagris,  319,  320. 

Lophius,  422. 

Meles,  69. 

Kahau,  17. 

Loris,  24. 

Mellifica,  504. 

Kangaroo,  84. 

Lotor,  76. 

Mellivora.  68. 

Kestrel,  211. 

Loxia,  293. 

Melolontha,  486. 

Kingfisher,  230. 

Loxina,  293. 

Melolonthidae,  486. 

King  Vulture,  195. 

Lucanidae.  486. 

Menurinee,  239. 

Kinkajou,  78. 

Lucanus,  486. 

Merlin,  210. 

Kite,  205. 
Koodoo,  135. 

Lucius,  430. 
Lupus,  61. 

Meropid(E,231. 
Meropinae,  231. 

Kudu,  135. 

Luscinidae,  241. 

Merops,  231. 

Luscininss,  241. 

Merula,  260. 

Lacertinidae,  384. 

Luseinia,  242. 

Migratoria,  310. 

Lagopus,  325. 

Luscus,  68. 

Milvina,  204. 

Lammergeyer,  190. 

Lutra,  71. 

Milvus,  205. 

Lampern,  456. 

Lynx,  43. 

Minor,  367. 

Lampetra,  456. 

Misseltoe  Thrush,  257. 

Lamprey,  455. 
Lampyris,  488. 

Macaco,  24. 
Macaw,  Blue  and  Yellow, 

Mississipensis,  404. 
Mocking  Bird,  261. 

Lampyridae,  488 

298. 

Modularius,  249. 

Landrail,  354. 

Machaon,  506. 

Mola,  447. 

Lanidss,  266. 

Mackarel,  415. 

Mole,  79. 

Laniger,  116. 

Macrocephalus,  98. 

Mole  Cricket,  494. 

Laninae,  266. 

Macrocercus,  298. 

Mollissima,  365. 

Lanius,  266. 
Lapwing,  340. 
Laridae,  376. 

Macropidas,  84. 
Macropina,  84. 
Macropus,  84. 

Mollusca,  458. 
Monedula,  277. 
Moneta,  465. 

Larina;,  376. 

Maculata,  158. 

Money  Cowry,  465. 

Lark,  Sky,  291. 

Magpie,  271. 

Monkey,  Entellus,  18. 

Larus,  376. 

Major,  84. 

Proboscis,  17. 

Monoceros,  102. 

Numenius,  351. 

Paniscus,  20. 

Monodon,  102. 

Numida,  320. 

Panther,  35. 

Mormon,  19. 

Nut-Cracker  Crow,  270. 

Papa,  195. 

Morrhua,  440. 

Nuthatch,  238. 

Papilio,  506. 

Morse,  90. 

Nyctea,  217. 

Papilionidae,  506. 

Morunga,  89. 
Moschatus,  132,  489. 

Nyctisaura,  386. 
Nylghau,  134. 

Paradise,  Emerald  Bird  of, 
280. 

Moschiferus,  154. 

Paradisea,  280. 

Moschina,  154. 

Ocelot,  39. 

Paradiseida;,  280. 

Moschus,  154. 
Motacilla,  253. 

Octopida?,  458. 
Octopus,  458. 

Paradoxus,  169. 
Pardalis,  39. 

Motacillinae,  253. 

(Enas,  308. 

Parra,  353. 

Moth,  Death's-head,  508. 

CEstridsB,  513. 

Parrakeet,  Ringed,  300. 

Many-plumed,  511. 

CEstrus,  513. 

Parrinae,  353. 

Swallow-tailed,  511. 
Tiger,  510. 

Olor,  SCO. 
Onca,  37. 

Partridge,  321. 
Parvulus,  239. 

Mound-making  Megapode, 
328. 

Onocrotalus,  382. 
Ophidia,  390. 

Passenger  Pigeon,  310. 
Passer,  289. 

Mouse,  105. 

Opossum,  86. 

Passeres,  222. 

Muraenidoj,  443. 

Orang  Outan,  13. 

Patella,  466. 

Murex,  466 

Oreas,  136. 

Patellidae,  466. 

Muricidse,  466. 

Oriole,  Baltimore,  283. 

Pavo,  314. 

Muridse,  103. 

Onolinae,  203. 

Pavoninae,  314. 

Murina,  103. 

Oriolus,  263. 

Peacock,  314. 

Mus,  103. 
Muscicapa,  264. 

Ornismya,  234. 
Ornithorhynchina,  189. 

Pearl  Oyster,  470. 
Pecten,  467. 

Muscicapidae,  264. 

Ornithorhynchus,  189. 

Pectinida.  468. 

Muscicapina;,  204. 

Orpheus,  261. 

Peewit,  340. 

Muscicus,  259. 

Orthagoriscus,  447. 

Pelagica,  372. 

Musculus,  105. 

Orthoptera,  402. 

Pelias,  394. 

Musk  Beetle,  489. 

Ortygometra,  354. 

Pelecanidz,  378. 

Musk  Deer,  154. 

Oryx,  137. 

Pelecanina;,  378. 

Musk  Ox,  132. 

Osprey,  200. 

Pelecanus,  382. 

Mussel,  Edible,  471. 

Ostrea,  468. 
Ostrich  330. 

Pelican,  Frigate,  383. 
White  36° 

Mustelina,  64. 

Otinae,  339. 

Penguin,  Cape,  270. 

Mute  Swan,  360. 

Otter,  71. 

Pentadactyla,  185. 

Mycetes,  21. 

Otus,  339. 

Pentalasmis,  471. 

Mygale,  479. 

Ounce,  36. 

Perca,  414. 

Myoxina,  119. 

Ourapteryx,  511. 

Perch,  414. 

Myoxus,  119. 

Ovibos,  132. 

Percidae,  414. 

Myrmecophaga,  187. 
Myrmecophagina,  187. 

Ovis,  144. 
Owl,  Barn,  221. 

Perdicina;,  321. 
Perdix,  321. 

Myrmeleon,  496. 
Myrmeleonids,  496. 

Burrowing,  218. 
Great-eared,  220. 

Peregrine,  Falcon,  208. 
Peregrinus,  308. 

Mysticetus,  92. 

:  Hawk,  216. 

Pernis,  204. 

Mytilidie,  470. 

Scops-eared,  219. 

Petrel,  Fulmar,  272. 

Mytilus,  470. 
Myxine,  457. 

Snowy,  217. 
Ox,  123. 

Stormy,  272. 
Petromyzon,  455. 

Musk,  132. 

Petromyzonidas,  455. 

Naja,  397. 

Oyster,  468. 

Phaeton,  378. 

Narwhal,  102. 

Oyster,  Pearl,  470. 

Phaetoninse,  378. 

Nasua,  77. 

Phalacrocorax,  380. 

Natrix,  398. 

Pachyglossae,  386. 

Phatagin,  184. 

Nautilus,  Paper,  460. 

Pacos,  153. 

Phasianidss,  314. 

Necrophagus,  485. 
Neuroptera,  495. 
Newt,  Common,  409. 

Paguridae,  475. 
Pagurus,  473,  475. 
Palamedeida;,  353. 

Phasianinae,  315. 
Phasianus,  315. 
Pheasant,  316. 

Niger,  12. 

Palaemonidae.  478. 

Philomachus,  352. 

Nightingale,  242. 
Nisus,  213. 

Palsmon,  478. 
PaUeornis,  300. 

Philomela,  242. 
Phojnicopterina?,  357. 

Nivea,  217. 

Palmatus,  161. 

Phosnicopteros,  357. 

Noctiluca,  488. 

Palumbarius,  212. 

Phcenicura,  247. 

Nova)  Hollandiae,  334. 

Palumbus,  307. 

Phoca,  87. 

Nucifraga,  270. 

Pandion,  200. 

Phociena,  100. 

INDEX. 


Phocidae,  87. 
Phocina,  87. 

Puffin,  368 
Pugnax,  352. 

Rubra,  356. 
Ruby-throated  Humming- 

Phryganea,  499 

Pulmobranchiata,  461. 

Bird,  233. 

Phrygauidae,  499. 

Pulmonaria,  479. 

Rufa,  245,  501. 

Phyllostomina,  25. 

Puma,  38. 

Ruff,  352. 

Phyllia,  494. 

Putarius,  66. 

Rupicapra,  141. 

Physeter,  98. 

Pyrrhocoracinae,  279. 

Rustica,  225. 

Pica,  271. 

Pyrrhula,  292. 

Rusticola,  350. 

Picida;,  302. 

Pyrrhulinse,  292. 

Ruticilla,  247. 

Picmae,  302. 

Rutilus,  428. 

Picta,  134. 

Quagga,  166. 

Picas,  304. 

Quail,  322. 

Sable,  65 

Pied  Wagtail,  253. 

Querquedula,  364. 

Sacred  Ibis,  347. 

Pike,  430. 

Salamaiidndaj,  409. 

Pigeon,  Domestic,  312. 

Rabbit,  115. 

Salientia,  406. 

Panacncer  310 

Salmo  433  434. 

Pilaris,  258. 

Raia,  454.  ' 

Salmon,  433. 

Pilchard,  436. 

Raidse,  453. 

Salmonida?,  433. 

Pilchardus,  436. 

Rallidae,  354. 

Sambucaria,  511. 

Pimpla,  500. 

Rallina?,  354. 

Sand  Martin,  225. 

Pine  Marten,  64. 

Ram,  144. 

Sapiens,  1. 

Pipiens,  513. 

Ramphastidae,  296. 

Sappho,  234. 

Pipit,  Meadow,  255. 
Piscatonus,  422. 
Pisces    Chondropterygii, 

Ramphastidinae,  296. 
Ramphastos,  296. 
Rana,  406. 

Sarcorhamphida?,  194. 
Sarcorhamphos,  194. 
Satin  Bower-Bird,  282. 

448. 

Rangifer,  160. 

Satyrus,  14. 

Ossei,  412. 

Rat,  103. 

Saura,  384. 

Platalea,  345, 

Water,  108. 

Saw-fish,  452. 

Plectognathi,  447. 

Ratel,  Honey,  68. 

Scalaria,  464. 

Pleuroneclidae,  441. 

Rattle-snake,  390. 

Scallop,  467. 

Podicepina;,  366. 

Raven,  273. 

Scansores,  296. 

Podiceps,  366,  367. 

Recurvirostra,  349. 

Scincidae,  385. 

Poephagus,  131. 

Recurvirostrmae,  349. 

Sciurinas,  120. 

Pointer,  54. 

Red-Admiral,  507. 

Sciurus,  120. 

Polecat,  66. 

Red-backed  Shrike,  268. 

Scolopacidae,  348. 

Polyglottus,  261. 
Porcupine,  111. 
Portax,  134. 

Redbreast,  248. 
Redstart,  247. 
Regalis,  33 

ScolopacinEe,  350. 
Scolopacinus,  351. 
Scolopax,  350. 

Potamobius,  476. 
Pouter,  312. 

Regulus,  246. 
Reindeer,  160. 

Scomber,  415. 
Scomberida>,  415. 

Pratensis,  255. 

Religiosa,  347. 

Scombrus,  415. 

Prawn,  478. 

Remora,  420. 

Scops-eared  Owl,  219. 

Presbytes,  17. 

Reptiha,  384. 

Scorpio,  482. 

Pretiosa,  464. 

Reptilivorus,  214. 

Scorpion,  482. 

Primates,  1. 

Resplendens,  229. 

Scorpionidse,  482. 

PristidaB,  452. 
Pristis,  452. 

Resplendent  Trogon,  229. 
Rhinaster,  178. 

Scoticus.  325. 
Scrota,  175. 

Proboscidea,  89. 

Rhinocerina,  177. 

Scutata,  453. 

Procellaria,  372. 
Procellaridce   372 

Rhinoceros,  177. 

Scyllida?,  449. 

Procellarina;;  372! 
Procyon  76. 

two-horned, 
178. 

Sea-horse,  419. 
Seal  87 

Procyonlnffi,  76. 

Ring-dove,  307. 

Elephant,  89, 

Proteidas,  410. 

Ringed  Parakeet.  300. 

Secretary  Bird,  214. 

Proteus,  410. 

Snake,  398. 

Sericeus,  282. 

Psetta,  441. 

Riparia,  226. 

Serpentarius,  214. 

Psittacidae,  298. 

Roach,  428. 

Serratus,  478. 

Ptarmigan,  326. 

Roebuck,  155. 

Sexcinctus,  166. 

Pteromys,  121. 

Roller,  228. 

Shark,  White,  450. 

Ptilonorhynchinae,  282. 

Rook,  275. 

Hammer-headed, 

Ptilonorhynchus,  282. 

Rosmarus,  90. 

451. 

Ptionida?,  452. 

Rove-beetle,  491. 

Sharp-nosed  Eel,  443. 

Pulex,  515. 

Ruffled  Lemur,  24. 

Shon  Sun-fish.  447. 

Pulicids,  515. 

Rubicilla.  292. 

Shrew,  Mouse,  81. 

Puff  Addpr.  2i)2. 

Rubicula,  248. 

Water,  82. 

INDEX. 


Shrike,  Great  Grey,  266. 

Sturio,  448. 

Timidus,  114. 

Red-backed,  268. 

Sturnidae,  282. 

Tinea,  427. 

Shrimp,  478. 

Sturninae,  284. 

Tinnunculus,  211. 

Silphidse,  485. 
Silver-spotted    Fritillary 

Sturnus,  284. 
Sub-brachiata  440. 

Titmouse,  Blue,  251. 

507. 

Subbuteo   208* 

ureat,  *JO. 

Simia,  14. 

Sucking-fish,  420. 

Toad,  408, 

Simiadae,  12. 

Suina,  175. 

Toco,  296. 

Siskin,  287. 

Sula,  379. 

Toucan,  296. 

Sitta,  238. 

Sulphurea,  301. 

Torpedo,  452. 

Sittinae,  238. 

Sun-fish,  447. 

Torquata,  398. 

Skylark,  291. 

Surnia,  216. 

Torquatus,  22. 

Slender  Loris,  24. 

Surnina),  216. 

Torquilla,  305. 

Sloth,  183. 

Sus,  175. 

Tortoise,  399. 

Slowworm,  385. 

Swallow,  Esculent,  227. 

Toucan,  Toco,  296. 

Slug,  463. 

Swallow-tailed   Butterfly, 

Trachearia,  482. 

Snail,  463. 
Snipe  351 

506. 
Moth  511 

Tragus,  141. 

Snowy-owl,  217. 
Solan  Goose,  379. 

Swan,  360. 
Black,  361. 

Trematopnea,  449. 
Tribulus,  466. 

Sole,  442. 

Swift,  224. 

Trichecina,  90. 

Solea,  442. 

Sword-fish,  417. 

Trichecus,  90. 

Somateria,  364. 

Sylvia,  243. 

Trichoptera,  499. 

Song-  Thrush,  259. 

Syngnathids,  419. 

Tridactylus,  183. 

Sorex,  81. 

Trigla,  412. 

Spaniel,  Water,  50. 
Sparrow,  289. 
Sparrow-hawk,  213. 

Talegallus,  327. 
Talpa,  78. 
Talpidae,  78. 

Triglidae,  412. 
Tnnginas,  352. 
Tripudians,  397. 

Spectrum,  25. 

Talpina,  78. 

Triton,  409. 

Spermaceti  Whale,  98. 

Tamalinse,  347. 

Trochilidaj,  233. 

Spheniscinae,  370. 

Tapir,  174. 

Trochilus,  233. 

Spheniscus,  370. 

Tapirina,  174. 

Troglodytes,  12. 

Sphingidas,  508. 

Tapirus,  174. 

Trogon,  229. 

Sphyrnias,  451. 

Tarandus,  160 

Trogonidae,  229. 

Spider  Bird,  479. 

Tarantula,  481. 

Troile,  371. 

Spinus,  28" 

Tarda,  339. 

Tropic  Bird,  378. 

Spoonbill,  White,  345. 

Tartarica,  492. 

Trout,  434 

Spotted  Flycatcher,  264. 

Taurus,  123. 

Tuberculata,  387. 

Springbok.  139. 

Teal,  364. 

Tumbler  Pigeon,  312. 

Squalus,  450. 

Tee-Tee,  Collared,  22. 

Tumulus,  328. 

Squirrel,  120. 

Temporaria,  406. 

Tunny,  416. 
Turhinidae,  464 

Stag,  156.    ying> 

Tenuirostres,  232. 

Turbot,  441. 

Beetle,  486. 

Tern,  Common,  377. 

Turdidae,  256. 

Staphylinidffi,  491. 

Terrestris,  174. 

Turdinae,  257. 

Starling,  284. 
Stembok   142 

Terrier,  English,  57. 
Scotch   58 

Turdus,  257. 
Turkey  319. 

'  Brueh   3°7 

Stercoranus,  486. 

Testudo,  399. 

Turtle,  401. 

Sterna,  378. 

Testurdinidse,  399. 

Turtle-dove,  309. 

Sterninae,  378. 

Tetradactyla,  184. 

Turlur,  309. 

Stoat,  66. 

Tetrao,  323,  324. 

Twohorned   Rhinoceros, 

Stockdove,  308. 

Tetraonida:,  321. 

178. 

Stork,  346. 

Tetraoninas,  323. 

Stormy  Petrel.  372. 

Tetrix,  324. 

Ulula,  216. 

Strepsiceros,  135. 

Thalarctos,  75. 

Uncia,  36. 

Slriata,  45. 

Thalassidroma,  372. 

Vndata,  243. 

Strigida:,  216. 

Thrush,  Misseltoe,  257. 

Dndatum,  465. 

Striinna?   221 

Vnffulata   123. 

Strix,  221. 

Thynnus,  416. 

Llnu'ornis,  177. 

Strobilosaura,  387. 

Tiger,  33. 

TJpupidae,  232. 

Strulhio,  330. 

Cat,  39. 

tJpupinae,  232. 

Struthionidae,  330. 

Moth,  510. 

tirbica,  227. 

Struthioninae.  330. 

Beetle,  483. 

Uria.  371. 

Sturgeon,  448. 

Tigris.  33. 

TJrinB?,  371. 

524 


INDEX. 


Uregallus,  323. 
Uropsophus,  390. 
Ursida,  72. 
llrsina,  72. 
Ursine  Howler,  21. 
Ursinus,  21. 

Vampire  Bat,  25. 
Vampirus,  25. 
Vanellus,  340. 
Vanessa,  507. 
Vanus,  35. 
Vertebrata,  1. 
Verus,  386. 
Vespa,  502. 
Vespertilionidae,  25. 
Vespertilionina,  28. 
Vespida;,  502. 
Vcspillo,  485. 
Viper,  394. 
Viperina,  390. 
Viperida-,  392. 
Virginiana,  86. 
Viridis,  304,  401. 
Viscivorus,  257. 
Vitulma,  67. 
Viverra,  46. 
Vivernnae,  46. 


Vivipara,  384. 

Whitethroat,  244. 

Volans,  388. 

Wolf,  61. 

Voliiiins,  432. 

Wolverine,  68. 

Vulpes,  63. 

Wood  Ant,  501. 

Woodcock,  350. 

Wagtail,  253. 

Woodcock,  Thorny,  466. 

Walrus,  or  Morse,  90. 

Woodpecker,  Green,  304 

Wandering  Albatros,  374. 
Wapiti,  157. 
Warbler,  Blackcap,  245. 
Dartford,  243. 

Spotted,  202. 
Wren,  239. 
Golden  Crested,  2-16. 
Wryneck,  305. 

Wasp,  502. 

Xiphias,  417. 

Water-lien,  355. 

Water  Shrew,  82. 

Yak,  131. 

Water  Rat,  108. 
Waxwing,  Bohemian,  265. 

Yarrelhi,  254. 
Yellow  Bunting,  290. 

Weasel,  67. 

•  Wagtail,  254. 

Weniletrap,  Royal  Stair- 

Yuncinv. 305. 

case,  464. 

Yunx,  305. 

Whale,  91. 

Spermaceti,  98. 

Zebra,  165. 

Whelk,  465. 

Zebu,  125. 

Whistling  Swan,  360. 

Zeidae,  419. 

White  Pelican,  382. 

Zeus,  419. 

White  Shark,  450. 

Zibellma,  65. 

White  Spoonbill,  345. 
White-headed  Eagle,  202. 

Zootoca,  384. 
Zygtena,  451. 

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